Anson company fined in Nebraska worker death
Courtesy / Smith Mountain via Facebook
Smith Mountain Investments, a utility pole inspection company, faces nearly $19,000 in penalties after an employee died while working in summer heat.
A Somerset County company that inspects utility poles faces nearly $19,000 in federal penalties after an employee died from a heat-related illness while working in Nebraska.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Smith Mountain Investments LLC for two serious safety and health violations related to the death, which occurred after the worker became sick while performing strenuous physical activity in high temperatures during July, according to a news release Tuesday.
The incident occurred at a job site in the village of Inman, in eastern Nebraska, about 50 miles south of the South Dakota border.
The company was given 15 days to comply with the penalty or contest the claims that it failed to protect workers from hazards associated with heavy physical activity in extreme heat conditions, and failed to ensure medical care was available.
Smith Mountain, which is based in Anson about 10 miles from Skowhegan, provides inspection, maintenance and reinforcement services for wooden utility poles nationwide. The company has over 30 years’ experience, according to its website, although records show it was formed as a limited liability corporation in 2012.
No further information was available and attempts to contact Smith Mountain were not successful.
"Death from heat related illness is a preventable tragedy," said OSHA Omaha Acting Area Director Matt Thurlby in the release. "When working in dangerously high temperatures, employers are responsible for implementing a heat safety program that includes modifying work practices, using controls to reduce heat stress and requiring water and rest breaks in shaded areas."
There are more than 150 million wooden utility poles in North America, according to the Smith Mountain website.
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