This week, Vincent Smith II died after falling into a vat of boiling hot chocolate at a chocolate factor in Camden, New Jersey. Now, it has been disclosed that the company was operating without a license.
Smith, 29, had reportedly prayed for a job in this economy and was delighted to be hired by Cocoa Services Inc. as a temporary worker.
He was loading chunks of chocolate into the melting tank when he fell into the tank and was hit by the paddles in the eight-foot tank. He was in the tank for ten minutes.
Lyons & Sons Inc. (which leases to Cocoa Services) has already been cited not having a business license The company insists that the license issue is a mere misunderstanding, here. Smith’s family needs to find a lawyer. There needs to be close scrutiny of how workers can fall into these vats and why there are not greater protections from such accidents.
For the full story, click here.
“OSH Act of 1970
SEC. 5. Duties
(a) Each employer –
(1) shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees;…”
Falls are most certainly recognized hazards in any manufacturing process.
Oh, mespo what would Willie Wonka have to say? It is but only a dream Charlie.
AY:
I think he’d say this:
which brings to mind that old classic, The Smothers Brothers singing “I Fell in a Vat of Chocolate” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDonSwXPUZU (“Surely there must have been a restraining rail on that vat of chocolate”)
Unfortunately in search of Corporate Profit$ their is a place in Michigan called American Bumper that manufacturers bumpers. (Really) They are on a production schedule that is so tight that the safety guards have been taken off.
Everyone is aware of this and they work because it is the only manufacturing plant for miles other than prisons. in one year 5 people were crushed and died. OSHA came in and could not find anything defective about the machine other than an employee had taken the safety guard off because it slowed down production by 2 or 3 bumpers per hour.
Oh and the exclusive remedy for on the job injuries in Michigan is Workers Comp. and if you die the maximum benefits payable is 280K. I guess this is a real cost benefit analysis.
A Smothers Brothers Prophecy
Tom:
I fell in a vat of chocolate
I fell in a vat of chocolate
I fell in a vat of chocolate
La-dee-do-da-la-dee-do-di-day.
I yelled fire when I fell into the chocolate
I yelled fire when I fell into the chocolate
I yelled fire when I fell into the chocolate
La-dee-do-da-la-dee-do-di-day.
Dick:
Why’d you yell fire when you fell into the chocolate?
Tom, why’d you yell fire when you fell into the chocolate?
Tom:
I yelled fire cause no one wouild save me if I yelled “Chocolate!”
La-dee-do-da-la-dee-do-di-day.
I’m not alone…
http://tinyurl.com/mnfdmz
Why did the man jump into the vat of chocolate?
Because he was nuts.
(Snickers)
Death by Chocolate!