MACON, Ga. — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched an investigation into the death of a worker at the Kumho Tire USA plant in Macon.
According to media reports, a maintenance worker was killed on April 10 as he or she attempted to repair a rubber batch machine called a wig-wag.
The identity of the worker has not yet been released.
Kumho Tire USA provided a statement to Tire Business on the incident:
"On April 10th, an employee of Kumho Tire died while working at a manufacturing location in Macon, Georgia. We are deeply saddened by the incident, and our thoughts and prayers are with the employee's family. The health and safety of our employees is our highest priority. A thorough investigation will be conducted."
OSHA told local media that an incident report indicates the machine was not "locked and tagged out."
Workers there are represented by the United Steelworkers (USW).
Messages were left for OSHA and the USW for further comment.
The $450 million Kumho Tire Georgia plant opened in May 2016. In August 2023, more than 325 employees at Kumho Tire Georgia ratified the first labor contract at the 861,113-sq.-ft tire facility. The vote came two years after the USW was certified as the workers' bargaining agent.
In 2019, OSHA issued fines totaling $523,895 to Kumho Tire Georgia Inc. and two other companies for alleged safety violations at the Macon plant.
Kumho was cited for 22 alleged violations — 12 serious, nine repeat and one other-than-serious — and fined an aggregate of $507,299.
