VIRGINIA, Minnesota — A Twin Cities-based trucking company is contesting a fine of more than $621,000 involving the death of an employee who was found dead inside a tanker trailer last March.
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry OSHA unit (MNOSHA) announced the fine against Wayne Transports on Wednesday, saying the company failed to institute confined-space safety requirements at its facility in Virginia, Minnesota.
After investigating the death of the employee, who was cleaning the inside of a tanker trailer, MNOSHA issued 10 serious violations against Wayne Transportation. Inspectors found that the company did not adequately protect employees from confined space hazards.
Wayne Transports specializes in moving petroleum and other chemical products inside its tanker trailers.
"Work processes must be designed with the goal of eliminating workplace injuries and illnesses, and workers must be properly trained about how to perform their work safely," said MN DLI Commissioner Nicole Blissenbach. "Before work is performed in a confined space, employers must evaluate the elements of that space and ensure they have a comprehensive plan to protect their employees from potential hazards."
Wayne Transports has filed court documents contesting the fine and the findings.
MNOSHA says on a national scale, what happened in Virginia is not an isolated case: The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports more than 1,030 U.S. workers died from workplace injuries related to confined spaces from 2011 to 2018.
