OSHA Fines & Legal Scrutiny Follow Fatal Workplace Accident at GE Appliance Plant

The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed $193,585 in penalties against Haier US Appliance Solutions Inc., a manufacturer of GE-brand appliances, for multiple safety violations of required machine standards which led to a fatal workplace accident at their Decatur, Alabama factory.

In July of 2024, Rodney Terry, a 58-year-old front-line supervisor at Haier’s Decatur, Alabama facility suffered fatal injuries while attempting to service a door molding machine. An OSHA investigation following this incident found that the company had neglected to follow several necessary procedures that would prevent employees from being injured by machinery. OSHA issued Haier one willful violation for failing to enforce “lock-out, tag-out” standards (regulations which prevent the machine from turning on while it is being fixed or cleaned), and two serious violations for allowing employees to bypass safety interlocks and overlooking annual procedure inspections.  Willful violations are issued when an employer intentionally disregards OSHA’s rules and regulations or shows indifference toward the health and safety of their employees. Serious violations are accidents or injuries that cause serious harm or death.

“Haier US Appliance Solutions could have avoided this tragedy but put production schedules and profit ahead of employee safety,” said OSHA Area Office Director Joel Batiz. “This company’s troubling history of safety failures in its manufacturing process has posed a significant risk to the more than 1,500 workers at its Decatur location who rely on a safe and healthy workplace.”

The incident is the latest of many from Haier US Appliance Solutions and GE’s storied history of safety violations beginning in 2016, including two repeated and two serious violations of lock-out/tag-out requirements cited after a 55-year-old worker’s fatality in Louisville in February 2019. The proposed fines represent the maximum penalties OSHA can recommend.

GE Appliances representatives have stated that the company intends to contest OSHA’s conclusion.

“Our organization, and the Decatur facility in particular, has a strong safety record,” Julie Wood, senior director of corporate communications for GE said in a statement. “Our Decatur facility was a part of OSHA’s highly regarded Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) from 1996 to 2024. The plant underwent seven extensive on-site reviews by OSHA VPP teams during that time, during which OSHA performed an in-depth review of the facility’s documentation, conducted employee interviews and performed a wall-to-wall inspection of the plant. As you know, last year there were fewer than 1,200 U.S. work sites possessed this respected designation, which was an explicit recognition by OSHA of the excellent safety program present at Decatur.”

“GE Appliances has always been and remains deeply committed to safety, and there is no issue we take more seriously as a company,” Wood continued. “We cooperated fully with OSHA on the incident investigation, but we respectfully disagree with OSHA’s conclusions. It is against company policy and company training to bypass machine safeguards and enter equipment without de-energizing and locking out the equipment.”

The company has 15 business days from receipt of their citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Should they fail to comply, the citations and proposed penalties will become a final order and may not be reviewed.

How can employees report workplace safety violations without facing retaliation?

It is illegal for an employer to fire, demote, transfer or otherwise retaliate against a worker who complains to OSHA and uses their legal rights.  If working conditions are unsafe or unhealthful, employees may file a complaint with OSHA concerning a hazardous working condition at any time. If possible, the employee should bring the unsafe conditions to the employer’s attention. If the condition clearly presents a risk of death or serious physical harm, there is not sufficient time for OSHA to inspect, and, where possible, a worker has brought the condition to the attention of the employer, the worker may have a legal right to refuse to work in a situation in which he or she would be exposed to the hazard.

 What legal protections exist for whistleblowers who expose OSHA violations?

“When OSHA receives a complaint, OSHA will first review it to determine whether certain basic requirements are met, such as whether the complaint was filed on time. If so, the complaint will be investigated in order to determine whether the employer retaliated against the employee for engaging in activity protected under one of OSHA’s whistleblower laws. OSHA may also attempt to assist the employer and employee in reaching a settlement of the case. Private-sector employees throughout the United States and its territories and employees of the United States Postal Service (USPS) who suffer retaliation because of occupational safety or health activity are covered by section 11(c) of the OSHA Act. In addition, private-sector employees are also covered by laws in States which operate their own comprehensive occupational safety and health programs approved by Federal OSHA,” according to OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Program.