Community Corner
Ridgefield Fined $9K for Unsafe Working Conditions
Town fined for "willful" violation of state worker safety laws.
The town of Ridgefield has been fined $9,000 by the state Department of Labor (DOL) for unsafe working conditions at the Ridgefield Golf Course, which is owned and operated by the town.
The citation notes a “willful” violation of the state’s Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) in that the town was “aware that safety devices on equipment (Jacobson reel mowers)… had been disconnected and were found to be inoperative.”
The lack of safety precautions — rigging a lawnmower to continue running when the operator got off the machine — led to an employee seriously injuring his hand.
Along with the fine, a copy of the citation must be posted “in a prominent place” at the golf course until the issues are rectified.
The town has the right to contest the citation within 15 days of it being issued, however it is unlikely the will do so, First Selectman Rudy Marconi told the Ridgefield Press.
The town has until Aug. 25 to pay the fine and correct the violation.
Download a copy of the OSHA citation below.
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