Fire at Utah Pet Food Plant Highlights Years of Safety Violations
- A fire at Alphia’s Ogden pet food plant caused $3 million in damage and reignited concerns about the company’s safety record.
- Investigators have cited Alphia numerous times in recent years for hazards ranging from unguarded machinery to slippery floors, with fines topping $20,000.
- Workers have suffered concussions, fractures, and crushed hands, including a palletizer injury tied to a deadly 2018 accident.
- While the October blaze didn’t trigger a safety probe, Alphia says it has invested heavily in new protocols, fire suppression, and facility upgrades to improve workplace safety.
Massachusetts Issues Safety Alert After First Silicosis Case
- Massachusetts DPH confirmed the state’s first silicosis case and urged stone countertop employers to safeguard workers from silica dust.
- The lung disease was diagnosed in a longtime countertop worker, underscoring hazards from cutting and polishing granite and engineered stone, which contains over 90% silica.
- Officials stressed employers must use ventilation, dust control, respirators, and medical surveillance.
- With hundreds of cases and deaths reported nationwide since 2014, silicosis remains a serious workplace safety concern.
Shrader Homes Hit With Major OSHA Penalties Over Fall Hazards
- Oregon OSHA on December 9 fined Medford contractor Shrader Homes Inc. more than $128,000 after inspectors found workers exposed to serious hazards at a jobsite.
- An inspection found five violations, including repeat offenses involving fall protection and ladder safety.
- The most severe citation—rated with the potential outcome of death—carried a $110,309 penalty for not implementing fall‑protection systems when crews worked six feet above ground.
- Other violations involved unsafe ladders, unprotected wall openings, and lack of eye protection. OSHA stressed falls remain a leading cause of construction fatalities.