A federal agency is proposing more than $140,000 in fines against a local tree trimming company related to the death of a Schenectady man on his first day on the job, officials said.
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration found Countryside Tree Service failed to properly train employees on wood chippers and the dangers of getting caught in the machine’s rotating parts.
Justus Booze, 23, of Schenectady, died May 4 at a job site in Guilderland.
In addition to the lack of training, OSHA investigators found Countryside owner Tony Watson did not ensure workers used safe operating procedures when feeding materials into the chipper, exposing them to deadly hazards, OSHA said.
“A young man’s life ended tragically and needlessly,” Robert Garvey, OSHA’s Albany area director, said in a prepared statement. “Countryside Tree Service bears responsibility to ensure that all phases of tree trimming, tree felling and tree removal work is performed safely. Putting employees to work with potentially dangerous machines with no safety training is unacceptable.”
The citations include willful violations for lack of training, as well as exposing employees to cut and amputation hazards because of a lack of leg protection. Employees were also exposed to eye hazards, and the company failed to ensure employees used helmets, OSHA said.
Booze had no background in tree work, according to his fiancée, Kristen Hickey. A friend called Booze with the job opportunity, and he took it to ensure the family’s rent was paid for that month, Hickey said.
Reach Gazette reporter Steven Cook at 395-3122, [email protected] or @ByStevenCook on Twitter.
GAZETTE COVERAGE
Ensure access to everything we do, today and every day, check out our subscribe page at DailyGazette.com/SubscribeMore from The Daily Gazette:
Driver, 55, dies after late Sunday crash into Duanesburg restaurant, Schenectady Co. Sheriff says
Images: Students from Niskayuna, Saratoga, elsewhere in science, engineering fair at RPI (10 photos)
Scrapbook: Downtown Schenectady from days past, 1937, 1939, 1940s, 1950s (10 photos)
miSci spotlights the work of African American scientists at GE in Schenectady
Rotterdam bingo hall at ViaPort inching closer to opening
Categories: Business, News, Schenectady County
