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Fresh Mark cited, fined for OSHA violations prior to ICE raids

The company's Canton plant was hit with $211,194 in fines.

CANTON -- About one week prior to a raid that led to the arrests of dozens of its employees, Fresh Mark was cited by the U.S. Dept. of Labor for three sets of Occupational Safety and Health Act violations.

According to a letter issued to Fresh Mark on June 11, the company's Canton plant was hit with $211,194 in fines for violations dating back to December 2017.

The Canton Fresh Mark facility was investigated in December 2017 after a worker was killed after becoming caught in an auger while clearing a jammed machine.

A second incident was investigated in February 2018 after a worker's arm became caught in a ham-skinning machine.

A third investigation occurred in April 2018 when a worker's finger was partially amputated by a packaging machine.

Investigators found that Fresh Mark's facility failed to properly train its employees on safety procedures when cleaning machines. They also determined that the company failed to install proper machine guarding, failed to train workers on lockout and tagout procedures and failed to perform effective hazard assessments.

Nearly 150 undocumented immigrants were arrested during raids at Fresh Mark's Canton, Massillon and Salem facilities last Tuesday.

ICE said the raids were part of a year-long investigation based on evidence that Fresh Mark may have knowingly hired undocumented immigrants and falsified records for undocumented workers. About 80 of those undocumented workers remained in custody in Northeast Ohio as of last Thursday.

Fresh Mark has requested a meeting with OSHA to discuss the citations, according to a news release issued by America's Voice.

MORE | Years before ICE raids, suit filed against Fresh Mark for falsifying records of undocumented workers

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