Wisconsin Worker Killed by Factory Robot

Pizza Manufacturing Facility Site of Crushing Death

  • A 45-year-old employee of Palermo’s Pizza in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was killed after being crushed by a robotic arm.
  • The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration and local authorities are investigating the incident, which took the life of employee Robert Cherone.
  • The exact nature of the deadly encounter has not yet been determined. The West Milwaukee plant spans 200,000 square feet.
  • The company, which says it is offering support to the victim’s family, adds it is cooperating with government officials
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OSHA Hits Florida Roofer with $700K in Potential Penalties

  • The U.S. Department of Labor and OSHA have cited a Jacksonville, Florida, roofing company for alleged willful violations of fall protection standards.
  • OSHA says Elo Restoration, dba, Elo Roofing, willfully exposed employees to fall hazards by not requiring them to use fall protection when working at least six feet high.
  • The agency cited the company for 10 violations, with $752,846 in proposed penalties.
  • Two weeks after OSHA initiated an inspection at one of Elo’s worksites, a worker at another site suffered injuries requiring hospitalization after falling a roof while removing skylight fixtures, leading to the OSHA action.
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Top 10 “Workplace Safety Worries”

  • Falls and other workplace injuries traditionally lead the list of workplace safety concerns.
  • Workplace radio provider EMCI Wireless now has released a survey saying that American workers are shifting their focus on what constitutes safety.
  • The survey lists “getting injured on the job” as the third biggest concern, behind “health outbreaks” and “mental health crises or burnout.”
  • Cybersecurity threats and fire or building emergencies round out the top 5.
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Protecting “Lone Workers” Through Crisis Readiness

  • A safety consultant urges employers to strengthen both their “lone worker” protection and crisis management practices.
  • Gaps in either can quickly escalate into life-threatening incidents, says Xavier Braham, of EcoOnline, speaking at the recent National Safety Council Congress.
  • Approximately 60% of incidents involving employees working alone occur on second or third shifts or weekends, when supervision is thinnest.
  • Lone worker safety and crisis management cannot be treated as “separate silos,” he asserts.
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