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Ohio ranks 2nd in region for work-related fatalities
By Kalea Hall
YOUNGSTOWN
Ohio places second among five states in its region for work-related fatalities investigated by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
In Ohio, there were 52 fatality investigations compared with 56 investigated in Illinois during the period from October 2014 through the end of September 2015.
Wisconsin had 31 investigations, while Indiana had one and Michigan had none.
Data per county in the five states was not available Tuesday.
Local union leaders here in the Mahoning Valley, however, said they place workplace safety at the top of their priority list.
“It’s always something we try to address,” said Jose Arroyo, business representative for the United Steel Workers in the Youngstown-Warren area.
Arroyo represents 1,800 workers in Mahoning and Trumbull counties that work in various manufacturing settings that varies from making pillows to steel.
In his time, he has never had to deal with a work-related death, but he has witnessed a lot of injuries on the job.
“I take those seriously,” he said. “I have seen some horrific workplace accidents.”
Arroyo would like to see companies find the root cause of a problem and not just tell the employee to wear a thicker glove, for example.
The United Auto Workers union also keeps safety a top priority. UAW Local 1112 President Glenn Johnson, who represents workers at the General Motors Lordstown Assembly Plant, said GM and the UAW have a joint safety program that is governed by both sides.
“It is a priority for all of us,” Johnson said.
UAW Local 1714 President Robert Morales listed safety trainers, safety representatives and a safety team as just some of the ways the local looks to address safety.
“We want to make sure that our members go home the same way they came in,” Morales said.
In total, the number of OSHA investigations increased from 106 during fiscal year 2014 to 140 in fiscal year 2015 for OSHA’s Region V.
In Ohio during fiscal year 2014, there were 45 investigations in Ohio and Illinois. Wisconsin had 15 while Indiana had none and Michigan had one.