The JBS meat-processing plant in Tolleson has been cited for multiple worker safety infractions, including a serious incident that resulted in an employee suffering an amputation. According to a report from the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH), released earlier this week, an employee's hand was caught in a chain during machine maintenance in late December, leading to the loss of a finger.
The state safety agency fined the company $12,524, citing a lack of proper safety guards on the machine and noting the use of improper attire by the employee who was oiling the chain while the machine was in motion. ADOSH recommended that such maintenance should be performed when machines are static and employees are wearing tight-fitting clothing. This comes in the wake of another fine levied against the company a week prior for an unrelated incident that culminated in the death of a worker by blunt-force injuries.
In the fatal November incident, Eduardo Reyes Hernandez, 55, met his end in an accident involving a forklift, as per an ADOSH report highlighted by 925 Classic Hits. While loading a feed hopper after stepping away from his forklift, another vehicle reversed, trapping him between it and another vehicle. The company faced a $43,786 fine for not maintaining a workplace free from recognizable hazards.
Despite multiple attempts to reach the JBS company for comment on both the amputation and fatality incidents, there has been no immediate response. Companies cited by the state can contest their citations if they believe the findings are unjustified.
