Maine company faces more than $100K in OSHA fines for dangerous robots, safety violations

A Maine fabric manufacturing company faces more than $100,000 in federal fines for safety violations including the use of robots that could harm workers.

Maine Public Broadcasting Network (http://bit.ly/19at2WC ) reports the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is citing Formed Fiber of Auburn in part because of robots used to trim carpeting. OSHA spokesman Ted Fitzgerald says the robots had arms that could extend "beyond a safe perimeter" and possibly strike a worker.

The other violation is that equipment used in the production process wasn't properly shut down and locked to stop it from starting during cleaning.

Fitzgerald says the agency doesn't know of any injuries at the plant. Company president Chris Richard says the company is reviewing the citations and "places the highest priority on workplace safety."