NORTH CAROLINA (From news reports) -- A Weyerhaeuser sawmill facility in Craven County received a $48,393 fine from the N.C. Department of Labor related to a March 17 workplace fatality. The Labor Department cited Weyerhaeuser with three "serious violations" after an investigation of the fatality at the facility in Vanceboro.
"The penalties are in no way designed to make up for the loss of life," according to a statement from the Department of Labor.
Weyerhaeuser announced in July it would close the mill on Monday, Sept. 16, resulting in the loss of approximately 75 jobs. In July, Weyerhaeuser released in a statement it had decided to close the mill after an analysis of its "long-term viability and competitiveness" and "challenging market conditions."
On March 17, Robert Christopher Wood, 37, was servicing the hydraulic system of a Taylor forklift under the raised carriage/forks. A sudden loss of hydraulic pressure caused the carriage/forks to fall onto Wood, which resulted in his death, according to company officials. His obituary states he had lived his entire life in the Craven County town of Cove City. He was an avid outdoor enthusiast who was known for his kind heart and mechanical inclinations, according to his obituary.
By law, civil money penalties collected by the N.C. Department of Labor are distributed to the public school system.
Weyerhaeuser has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to request an informal conference with the Labor Department, to file a notice of contest with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission of North Carolina (an independent board appointed by the governor to hear appeals of OSH citations), or to pay the penalty.
Company officials released this statement about the fine:
"We have received and will be working with the North Carolina Department of Labor to understand the full details of the citation. Safety is a core value and at the forefront of everything we do at Weyerhaeuser. We invest significant time and resources to ensure we have the right culture, procedures and training in place to provide a safe working environment for everyone at our company. Our goal is to operate injury-free, and we carefully investigate and apply lessons and improvements from all serious safety incidents, including this tragic loss at our New Bern mill. We also want to be clear that our decision to curtail operations at the mill was in no way connected to this incident."
In March, the company released the following statement about Wood's death: "We are deeply saddened to share that one of our team members died on Sunday from injuries sustained while working at our lumber mill in New Bern, N.C. An investigation is underway, and we cannot share any further details at this time. This is a tragic situation for the employee's family and our community, and our thoughts are with this individual's family and friends and everyone at our mill."
