Conn-Selmer has history of serious health and safety violations, records show

EASTLAKE, Ohio (WOIO) - The instrument manufacturing plant where an employee was injured following a chemical spill Thursday has a history of serious health and safety violations, according to records reviewed by 19 Investigates.

Documents show Conn-Selmer was cited by both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency in 2023.

The Ohio EPA inspected Conn-Selmer’s Eastlake plant this past March and found the company was not labelling hazardous waste containers in some areas.

According to the violation notice, three employees had also not received the proper hazmat training, as required.

Inspectors also discovered there was no contingency plan in place for first responders, in case of an emergency at the plant.

Ohio EPA records show all of those issues have since been resolved.

Conn-Selmer has also accrued a list of serious OSHA violations dating back to 2013, while the most recent case was opened in July 2023.

In an email to 19 Investigates, a representative from the U.S. Department of Labor said they are investigating an accident involving a partial fingertip amputation, but said no further details would be provided until the investigation in complete.

19 Investigates found another case had been opened back in October 2022, which also refers to an amputation. The exact details of that case are not listed in the OSHA’s online report. Conn-Selmer faces more than $170,000 in penalties for that incident, records show.

OSHA’s report states the company did not ensure that effective machine guarding was in place. It also says the company was previously cited for a similar violation.

During that time, the company also received additional violations for not giving workers the proper protective gear, which is required whenever employees are exposed to chemicals and high heat.

In February 2019, records show OSHA cited Conn-Selmer for exposing workers to copper dust and machine hazards.

In that case, the company was cited for two repeat, and seven serious, safety and health violations.

19 Investigates reached out to Conn-Selmer for a comment on Thursday but did not receive a response.

On Thursday morning, an employee received minor injures after a water line ruptured inside a room containing chemicals.

Eastlake Fire Chief Ted Whittington said the injured worker was taken to a local hospital as a precaution.

Chief Whittington said the company had recently had a safety drill and they are considered a “good partner and very safe.”

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