BOSTON, Massachusetts – OSHA cited Lynnway Auto Auction Inc. for electrical, struck-by, and other hazards at its auto auction facility in Billerica.
On May 3, 2017, OSHA inspected the facility after five people were struck by a sport utility vehicle and died as a result of their injuries. A Lynnway employee was driving a 2006 Jeep Cherokee at the weekly auction on May 3 when the vehicle went out of control, careening into a crowd of people, and striking the building. Three people were pronounced dead that day and two more later succumbed to their injuries. The agency issued 16 citations to the company for motor vehicle hazards, blocked exit routes, violations of the hazard communication standard, and recordkeeping deficiencies. Lynnway faces proposed penalties totaling $267,081.
“This company was cited in 2014 for exposing employees to similar hazards,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Galen Blanton, in Boston. “It is critically important that employers remain vigilant about safety and implement required safety measures.”
OSHA also conducted a joint employer inspection, and determined that temporary workers from TrueBlue Inc. – doing business as PeopleReady – were also exposed to struck-by hazards. The agency cited the Dover, New Hampshire, staffing firm for one serious violation for a struck-by hazard, and proposed a penalty totaling $12,675.
View the citations for Lynnway and TrueBlue Inc. dba PeopleReady.
The companies have 15 business days from receipt of their citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
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