Kaiser Aluminum in Sherman cited after worker’s leg amputated

The Kaiser Aluminum plant in Sherman has been cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for eight serious labor violations after a worker’s leg was amputated in an accident at the plant in June.

The agency has proposed fining the Kaiser facility $76,607.

OSHA investigators determined that a piece of machinery used to fabricate aluminum hit an employee’s left leg and that Kaiser had failed to ensure that the machine’s moving parts were properly guarded.

They also found that Kaiser management had failed to maintain electrical equipment at the plant.

The Sherman aluminum extrusion plant has been in operation since 1964 and manufactures automotive parts, anodes for water heaters and high-strength products for the aerospace industry.

“With 12 facilities nationwide, Kaiser Aluminum cannot continue to neglect lockout procedures that put workers at risk of amputation or other serious injuries,” Jack Rector, OSHA’s area director in Fort Worth, said in a news release. “This company must follow OSHA’s safety standards to prevent life changing injuries from happening.”

The Sherman facility recently completed a $25 million expansion, adding a 55,000-square-foot building, $17 million in new equipment and 10 new full-time jobs.

This story was originally published December 14, 2016 at 5:24 PM with the headline "Kaiser Aluminum in Sherman cited after worker’s leg amputated."