DOL Reaches Settlement with Mass. Auto Auction After Fatal Incident

The U.S. Department of Labor has reached a settlement with Lynnway Auto Auction Inc., in which the Billerica, Mass., facility agrees to correct hazards, implement significant safety measures, and pay $200,000 in penalties.
OSHA cited Lynnway for 16 violations following a May 2017 incident in which a sport utility vehicle fatally struck five people during an auto auction. Nine other people were injured.
As part of the settlement, Lynnway will designate and mark non-driving locations, walkways, and crosswalks; install barriers in the auto auction area; establish and enforce speed limits and a safe driving program; periodically evaluate employees’ driving capabilities and licenses; provide employee training; and review all vehicle accidents or near-misses.
“The settlement commits Lynnway to correct existing hazards and requires it to take continuous action to help prevent future employee injuries or fatalities,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Galen Blanton.
“The processes put into place by this agreement have the goal of ensuring that such needless loss of lives will not occur again,” said Regional Solicitor of Labor Michael Felsen.

Staffing Firm Also Fined

TrueBlue Inc., doing business as PeopleReady, which supplied temporary employees to Lynnway, also agreed to correct hazards, implement a traffic control program, and pay a $12,675 penalty. OSHA cited the staffing firm for exposing employees to struck-by hazards.
The Lynnway settlement became a final order of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission on April 5, 2018; the TrueBlue settlement agreement became final on March 5, 2018.