Rural King fined for forklift violations at local store

Credit: Google Maps

Credit: Google Maps

Rural King Supply Inc. is facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines for failing to maintain forklifts properly at its Xenia location, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The national farm supply company has been cited for the violations at the Xenia store, 1900 Progress Drive, and is facing $258,672 in penalties, according to the release.

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An OSHA investigation substantiated complaints that employees were allowed to operate a damaged forklift after employees had reported it to have faulty brakes, according to the release.

OSHA determined that “the company failed to take the forklift out of service, or perform needed repairs.”

Ken Montgomery, OSHA Cincinnati area office director, said in a prepared statement: “This employer ignored employee concerns about unsafe conditions, disregarded safety procedures, and put their workers at risk for serious injuries by failing to maintain safe equipment.”

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Rural Kings has 15 days after receiving the citation to comply, request an informal meeting with Montgomery or contest the findings with the Independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

A Rural King representative at the company’s headquarters in Illinois declined to comment for this story.

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