🗞️ Broken Arm, Broken Rules: Midwest Bakery Hit With $326K in OSHA Fines
OSHA cited Alpha Baking Co. Inc. for repeat and serious safety violations after an employee broke their arm clearing dough from a machine in September 2025, proposing $326,276 in penalties.
On March 16, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced citations against Alpha Baking Co. Inc., a commercial bakery operating in the Midwest, following a September 2025 incident in which a production line worker suffered a broken arm while clearing dough from machinery.
OSHA's investigation found that the company had failed to implement required lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures — federal safety protocols under 29 CFR 1910.147 that require machinery to be de-energized and physically locked before any employee performs servicing or maintenance. The absence of these procedures left the worker exposed to the hazard of unexpected machine activation.
The citations issued were notably classified as repeat violations, meaning OSHA had previously cited Alpha Baking for substantially similar deficiencies within the prior five years. Public records confirm the company was cited for lockout/tagout and machine guarding failures — six serious violations — following a 2014 fatality at a Chicago facility, in which a 31-year-old engineer was killed when an unguarded rotating gear arm struck his head while he was checking the oil level of an encoder gearbox.
In the 2026 action, OSHA issued three repeat violations — for lack of LOTO training, failure to lock out a machine during servicing, and unguarded machines — and three serious violations related to electrical safety work practices and the failure to provide personal protective equipment during electrical work. Total proposed penalties reached $326,276. The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, seek an informal conference, or contest the findings before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
LOTO violations consistently rank among OSHA's most frequently cited standards across general industry. Compliance with the standard is estimated to prevent roughly 120 workplace fatalities and 50,000 injuries annually, with injured workers losing an average of 24 workdays to recovery.
Key Points
- A production line worker at Alpha Baking Co. suffered a broken arm in September 2025 while clearing dough from a machine.
- OSHA's investigation found the company failed to lock out the machine during servicing and lacked adequate LOTO training — violations classified as repeat offenses.
- Alpha Baking Co. has faced prior OSHA scrutiny, including six serious violations tied to a 2014 worker fatality at a Chicago facility involving machine guarding and LOTO deficiencies — providing the basis for the 2026 repeat classification.
- Three repeat and three serious violations were cited; proposed penalties total $326,276.
- Additional serious violations were issued for failures in electrical safety training, work practices, and personal protective equipment use.
- The company has 15 business days to comply, request a conference, or contest findings.
- Lockout/tagout is one of OSHA's most frequently cited standards and is estimated to prevent 50,000 injuries per year when followed.
Primary Source Author: U.S. Department of Labor / OSHA Region 5 (Media Contact: Juan Rodriguez)
Primary Source: US Department of Labor cites Midwest commercial bakery for repeat, serious safety violations following employee injury
Primary Source Link: https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/osha/osha20260316-0
Supplemental Links
- OSHA — Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) overview
- OSHA — 29 CFR 1910.147 full standard text
- OSHA — 2014 Alpha Baking Co. fatality press release
- Bakery & Snacks — Alpha Baking Co. cited after 2014 employee fatality
- OSHA — Machine Guarding overview
- OSHA — Establishment search (track citation/penalty status)
- Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission
