Hostess Brands, the US-based bakery firm most well-known for its Twinkies brand, has been handed a fine of almost $300,000 af the US Labor Department concluded that safety and training failures led to a worker in Chicago losing a fingertip in December 2022.

The injury was suffered by a 29-year-old worker while reassembling a pump at a company facility. The Labor Department alleged that Hostess could have prevented the injury by ensuring that the equipment was shut down and locked up.

It adds that the company failed to ensure shafts, sprockets and moving parts on equipment such as a dough mixer, coolers, icing and wrapping stations and box stoppers had required guarding in place to protect workers from contact with pinch points and moving parts.

An investigation was launched by the Labor Department after Hostess reported the injury.

The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited the company for one willful violation, one repeat violation and five serious violations. The company faces $298,010 in proposed penalties, and has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Sukhvir Kaur, Chicago North OSHA area director said: “OSHA frequently finds that amputations and other injuries occur when manufacturers fail to make sure machine safety procedures are followed and employees are trained properly.

“Employers can spare their employees these kinds of painful injuries by complying with OSHA and industry-recognized safety standards.”

A spokesperson for Hostess said that “the safety and well-being of our employees is our top priority, and we take all safety concerns very seriously,” and said that the company is reviewing the allegations.

Hostess has been cited by OSHA for failing to protect employees’ safety and health in 12 inspections since 2018.

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