Print PDF

Lack of machine guarding can prove fatal in all sorts of businesses.

Example: OSHA has cited AMF Bowling Centers for three serious and three repeat violations following the death of a worker at the company’s Addison, TX, facility. Total fines: $112,600.

The worker was killed on Feb. 21, 2011, after being caught in a pin setter machine while clearing a jam.

OSHA says the company failed to install the required machine guarding on the pin setter.

The repeat violations include failure to:

• provide machine guarding, and
• provide guards for pulleys that were 7 feet or less from the floor.

The serious violations involved failure to:

• conduct periodic inspections of energy control procedures
• ensure fixed stairs were provided for access from one structural level to another, and
• ensure employees were protected from falling into the pin setter machines by providing a guardrail system or a personal fall arrest system.

AMF has 15 business days to decide whether to contest the fines.

You can find more information about OSHA’s machine guarding standard here.

Tags: bowling, machine guarding, personal fall arrest system