ATLANTA - A Murrayville company has paid a $6,000 civil fine after federal officials found a 17-year-old employee operating a press break and sheer cutting machine at the business, an activity not allowed under federal law.
Officials with the U.S. Labor Department reported the teen lost a small portion of his thumb while he was operating the equipment at B&M Metals on July 9, 2015. Labor officials released their findings on December 2, 2015.
A press release from the U.S. Labor Department said the company violated part of the Fair Labor Standards Act by allowing the teen to operate the piece of equipment. Workers under the age of 18 are not permitted to
operate power-driven metal forming, punching and shearing machines, including press breaks and sheer cutting machines.
"We regret the young man was injured - in fact, he still works for our company," said B&M President Chris Bryan. "We've been in business for 43 years and this is the first violation we've ever had."
Bryan also said in a written statement that the company has taken steps to insure younger workers are not performing activities that could be harmful to them.
"The company has also continued working with a third party firm to make sure it is compliant with all federal, state and OSHA regulations."
