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$42,000 fine proposed for Elkhart auto salvage business

(Source: http://bit.ly/2d39xXS License: http://bit.ly/2bBHhe9)

A total of $42,000 in fines were levied against an auto salvage company in Elkhart over safety violations revealed after the death of a man working there last year.

45 year-old Michael Molebash was a mechanic working at Tom’s Auto Salvage on August 5th when he died there.

The Elkhart Truth cites a police report that says he was found unresponsive around 8:30 a.m. after an industrial accident involving tires being inflated on a front-end loader.

An IOSHA inspection uncovered seven serious violations being found at the business. Each violation carried a proposed penalty of $7,000.

IOSHA is currently awaiting documentation showing the issues have been corrected.

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9 comments

Charles U Farley January 28, 2021 at 5:24 pm

The irony is, the very IOSHA rules Tom’s is being punished over would have been soundly rejected by the dead man since it would have just made his job harder.

OSHA is like the EPA. They don’t need to make good rules, just more of them in order to justify their existence… And don’t you DARE ignore those frivolous edicts!

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Tommy January 28, 2021 at 9:14 pm

Don’t assume the “dead man” would of been ok with it! The “dead man” was my father you fag! If you weren’t there then stfu!

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Charles U Farley January 29, 2021 at 8:26 am

That wasn’t a disrespect at your father. It was a point that most of the people working under some of the idiotic OSHA rules don’t like them because it slows them down. I saw this for years in factory work. Guards disabled, lockout tags ignored, protective equipment ignored…

I’m sorry for your loss.

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Scott Yarbrough January 29, 2021 at 4:12 pm

I think you insensitive idiot that assumes people wanna be lazy and take short cuts in life.Mike the mechanic that died because of these violations definitely would be alive today if Toms would have been in compliance. 42,000 in fines is ridiculous they got off easy . I hope the family and his kids sue them and puts them out of business.I miss u my friend R.I.P

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Charles U Farley January 31, 2021 at 7:35 pm

I wasn’t trying to be insensitive, for what it’s worth. I used to work in a shop and the guys HATED the OSHA mandates because a lot of them were just over the top, a lot of hassle for no real benefit.

Three people have said Michael Molebash wasn’t like that. Great, I stand corrected on that part. That would make him very much the exception to the rule, though.

And yes, if he wanted safety equipment that wasn’t there I’d say they absolutely should sue Tom’s, and it sounds like they’d have a very solid case.

FWIW, I’m sorry for your loss too.

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Beverly Jackson January 28, 2021 at 10:28 pm

I don’t think his family would agree.

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Jen January 28, 2021 at 10:53 pm

Tom’s had 7 violations including the most important no cage around a 300 lb tire and no availability of any safety equipment to prevent this…this “dead man” has a name and a family he leaves behind including a young son how dare you speak to what you think this man would have done because I assure u had the proper safety equipment been available it would have been used and this tragedy would have been prevented.

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david January 29, 2021 at 11:16 am

OSHA, as with all government, takes a tragedy, imposes a fine, and keeps the money. ANOTHER SCAM!!!!!!!!!!!

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RON CLAY June 3, 2021 at 9:52 pm

ITS TRUE EVERYBODY TAKES SHORT CUTS JUST TO GET IT DONE I DONT CARE WHO IT IS. AND THE COMPANIES KNOW ABOUT IT AND TURN THERE HEADS THEY JUST WANT THE JOB DONE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.

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