Mars Wrigley fined after workers fall into vat of chocolate

Ground cocoa beans in the Mars Wrigley Confectionery Site in Elizabethtown, Penn. Photo: Mars

Federal workplace safety authorities have fined a central Pennsylvania confectionary factory more than $14,500 (all figures U.S.) following an accident last year in which two workers fell into a vat of chocolate.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Mars Wrigley in the June accident at the Elizabethtown M&M/Mars factory, saying the workers were not authorized to work in the tanks and weren’t trained on the proper safety procedures for the equipment.

Officials said two workers employed by an outside contracting firm fell into the partially filled chocolate tank while doing maintenance work. Emergency responders were able to free the pair by cutting a hole in the bottom of the tank, officials said. Both were taken to hospitals, one by helicopter.

A company representative told reporters last week that the safety of workers and outside contractors “is a top priority for our business.”

“As always, we appreciate OSHA’s collaborative approach to working with us to conduct the after-action review,” the representative said.