Sullivan Lumber Had Prior OSHA Citation Before Fatal Accident

NORTHPORT, Ala. (WBMA) — As federal investigators examine a fatal workplace accident at Sullivan Lumber in Northport, OSHA records show the sawmill was previously cited following a serious machinery-related injury involving an employee. The latest incident occurred Tuesday evening at the lumber yard and sawmill along Highway 171. According to the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office, emergency responders were dispatched around 7 p.m. to a medical call at the facility, where an employee had been severely injured by industrial machinery and was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities said the Violent Crimes Unit and the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences are conducting a death investigation. Investigators have said there is currently no indication of foul play. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has confirmed it has opened an investigation into the fatality. While OSHA is not releasing additional details, agency officials said investigations can take up to six months to complete. A review of OSHA enforcement records found one previous investigation involving W.G. Sullivan Lumber Company at the Northport facility. That case stemmed from a March 15, 2017 incident in which a worker operating a resaw machine was injured when a 150-pound wooden board kicked back from the equipment and struck him in the shoulder. According to OSHA's investigation summary, the employee suffered a fractured shoulder and was hospitalized for treatment. Federal inspectors subsequently cited the company for two serious safety violations. OSHA initially proposed penalties totaling $12,928. Following an informal settlement, the penalties were reduced to $7,757 before the case was closed in June 2018. The OSHA database identifies the facility as a sawmill operation and classifies the 2017 inspection as a safety-related referral investigation. A search of OSHA's publicly available enforcement records found no other inspection cases involving W.G. Sullivan Lumber Company beyond the 2017 incident. It remains unclear whether the machinery involved in this week's fatal accident is related in any way to the equipment involved in the earlier injury investigation. OSHA has not released information about the circumstances surrounding the fatality, and investigators have not identified the deceased worker. The agency's findings, including any potential safety violations, are expected to be released once the investigation is completed.