OSHA concluded an inspection into a fatal accident at Stellantis’ Jeep Toledo Assembly Complex in Ohio and cited the automaker with a “serious” violation and a fine of $16,101.
The incident took place in August when 53-year-old Antonio Gaston died on the facility’s Gladiator line. The Detroit Free Press reported that Gaston was tightening undercarriage bolts when he became trapped beneath a vehicle on the assembly line.
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According to the latest update reported by the Toledo Blade, Stellantis did not provide one or more methods of machine guarding on the inverted IPF Chassis Delivery Conveyor. The citation noted that this left operators and employees exposed to pinch point hazards created by various carrier conveyor components, including travel rail tracks, steel trolley wheels and vehicle hub assemblies.
Gaston, a member of UAW Local 12, previously worked at Stellantis’ Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois before his transfer to Toledo in 2021, local television station WTOL 11 reported. The automaker officially idled the Belvidere facility in February 2023.
The Illinois site became a point of contention between the UAW and Stellantis after the company delayed plans to resume operations, ultimately contributing to a six-week strike.
Stellantis can contest the citation, which would send the report to the Independent Occupational Safety and Review Commission. The Blade quoted a Stellantis media representative who said the company has “robust safety measures in place” at all its sites and will cooperate with OSHA to resolve the case.
The last fatal accident at the Toledo complex took place in 2007 when a worker suffered a fall in the battery charging area.
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