A federal agency has cited Ford Motor Co. and a Kansas City company for violations after the death of a 52-year-old contractor crushed by a piece of equipment at the automaker’s Kansas City assembly plant.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Thursday the December 2014 accident was preventable. The accident occurred when a 7,600-pound piece of equipment broke loose and hit the worker.
OSHA said Thursday it cited Ford for a serious violation and Kansas City-based KCI Inc. for a willful safety violation. The worker killed was employed by KCI, which OSHA says was rebuilding the assembly line.
OSHA proposed fines of $7,000 for Ford, and $70,000 for KCI.
Ford said in a statement the automaker “fully cooperated” in the investigation.
KCI didn’t respond to a request for comment.