Tootsie Roll worker lost part of finger at factory, feds say. Now company faces fine

Earlier this year, a Tootsie Roll employee lost part of their finger when a bag sealer closed down on it. Following an investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor says the company bypassed safety locks, which led to the injury.

Now, the candy maker faces a proposed $136,532 in penalties from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This announcement comes nearly six months after the worker was injured in its Chicago manufacturing plant on April 19.

After an investigation of the incident, OSHA found the worker had been removing “stuck paper debris” from an unguarded machine when the jaws of the bag sealer closed in on their finger. The employee’s finger was partially amputated, according to the Tuesday news release.

“Hundreds of workers are injured needlessly each year because employers ignore safety guards, often to speed up production, and that’s exactly what happened in this case,” said OSHA Chicago South Area Director James Martineck in Tinley Park. “Employers must never put profits before people. When they do and fail to meet their obligations to keep workers safe, we will take action to hold them accountable.”

Tootsie Roll Industries LLC was given 15 working days from receiving the Sept. 24 letter to either pay the fine, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings.

In a statement provided to the Associated Press, the company said it is investigating OSHA’s findings and doesn’t agree with the alleged violation.

“We intend to meet with OSHA to discuss the basis for the citation and to enter into a dialogue to hopefully reach a mutually agreeable resolution,” the statement says, according to the AP.

Unguarded and “inadequately guarded” machines are common at many workplaces, according to OSHA.

“Consequently, workers who operate and maintain machinery suffer approximately 18,000 amputations, lacerations, crushing injuries, abrasions, and over 800 deaths per year,” OSHA says. “Amputation is one of the most severe and crippling types of injuries in the occupational workplace, and often results in permanent disability.”

This story was originally published October 6, 2021 at 1:09 PM with the headline "Tootsie Roll worker lost part of finger at factory, feds say. Now company faces fine."