Ohio Company Fined $500,000 After Worker’s Grisly Death in Faulty Concrete Mixer

Fabcon Precast LLC, a Delaware-based corporation operating a manufacturing facility in Grove City, Ohio, was sentenced today to pay a $500,000 fine—the maximum allowed by law—after pleading guilty to willfully violating an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation.

The violation led to the horrific death of 29-year-old employee Zachary Ledbetter, who was crushed by a malfunctioning pneumatic door on a concrete mixer in June 2020. In addition to the fine, Fabcon was ordered to serve two years of organizational probation and implement a mandatory Safety Compliance Plan.

The fatal incident occurred at Fabcon’s Grove City facility, where the company manufactures precast concrete panels. Ledbetter, a batch operator responsible for operating and cleaning the facility’s sole concrete mixer, was attempting to close the mixer’s pneumatic discharge door on June 6, 2020. The door, powered by pneumatic energy, was designed to be disabled by an exhaust valve. However, the valve’s handle had broken off and was never replaced, rendering the safety mechanism inoperable.

According to court documents, the broken valve caused the heavy pneumatic door to malfunction, trapping Ledbetter as he worked to close it. The door closed on his head, inflicting catastrophic injuries. Coworkers eventually freed him, but Ledbetter succumbed to his injuries five days later at a local hospital.

“Today’s sentencing reflects Fabcon’s willful failure to implement measures to protect its workers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Sadly, this led to Zachary’s death. This tragedy shows the importance of following safety standards.”

The guilty plea stems from Fabcon’s negligence in maintaining critical safety equipment, a violation classified as a class B misdemeanor under federal law, which carries a maximum penalty of a $500,000 fine for workplace safety violations resulting in death. The case was investigated by the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, with prosecution led by Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of the Environmental Crimes Section and the Southern District of Ohio.

“Fabcon Precast LLC willfully failed to adhere to OSHA safety regulations, resulting in the tragic and preventable loss of a worker’s life,” said Megan Howell, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Great Lakes Region. “This sentencing highlights our steadfast commitment to hold accountable those who jeopardize workers’ safety.”

Fabcon’s sentencing is justice for the dire consequences of neglecting workplace safety standards, with the company now facing both financial penalties and mandatory oversight to prevent future tragedies.