MACON, Ga. — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the Macon Nichiha plant for 60 safety violations in the last 12 years, after one death in 2008 and half a dozen amputations.
Coroner Leon Jones says 59-year-old Willie Bonner was knocked onto a conveyor belt by a robotic arm and crushed by machinery Wednesday.
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Back in 2014, OSHA placed Nichiha in their severe violation enforcement program, which means mandatory follow-ups and increased enforcement.
They paid more than $200,000 in fines, much of that for what OSHA called serious and repeat violations.
One of the violations OSHA cited the plant for was for the company not using a group lockout procedure that keeps equipment from starting up unexpectedly.
Frank Oliver, Bonner’s nephew, says he had to go through extensive OSHA training to work at a similar plant.
He says he believes Wednesday's accident was likely caused by the same problem and he wonders why his uncle didn’t get the same safety training.
"No one saved him, no one. Just help him. Anyone else training on these machines, 'lockout, tag out' works. I was in OSHA training for 2 weeks," said Oliver.
Bonner's family says he worked at the plant for the last month. He was hired by the temp service Premier Staffing Unlimited.
They say he had just moved back home from Denver, Colorado to work and spend time with his family.
Michelle Wood, Nichiha’s HR manager here in Macon says they’re cooperating with OSHA’s investigation, but they won’t discuss the accident until the investigation is over.
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