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Institute of Business Publications

Guilty plea for company that didn’t take broken machine out of service

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For new proof of the importance of taking broken equipment out of service right away, consider the plight of John Oliveira & Sons Stamp Concrete Inc., East Freetown, MA.

The organization just agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges for a willful violation of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations following the 2023 death of an employee.

According to federal prosecutors, John Oliveira supervisors knew that the tail conveyor for a large soil screener was broken – the conveyor had unexpectedly closed multiple times as a result of a ruptured hydraulic power line.

However, supervisors failed to take the broken device out of service. Their decision proved fatal when a crew member was trying to remove a bolt from the soil screener and the tail conveyor closed on him, crushing his head.

Note: The company’s willful violation of OSHA regulations could lead to five years of probation, a fine of $500,000 and restitution for the family of the dead crew member.

(From the March 23, 2026, issue of Safety Alert for Supervisors. To start your no-obligation trial subscription to the publication right now, please click here.)