TIPTON — A Howard County man died on the job early Friday when a machine at a local factory malfunctioned, police say.
Elliot Sullivan, 38, of Russiaville — a worker at High Performance Alloys, Inc., died from "massive" abdominal and chest trauma, and his death was ruled accidental, Tipton County Coroner Bob Nichols told WRTV.
Tipton police Sgt. Brad Robins said the incident was first reported to police about 7:56 a.m. at the factory, 444 Wilson St.
Robins said the malfunction led to Sullivan's "unfortunate and tragic death."
Robins added that there isn't a criminal investigation into Sullivan's death. The Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration is conducting an inspection following the incident — and more specifically, looking at what caused the machine to malfunction.
High Performance Alloys describes itself as a family-owned and operated supplier, distributer, service center and producer of superalloys. It was started in 1984, according to its website.
The business was recently cited for a workplace safety issue, WRTV Investigates has learned.
The Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a “serious” violation to High Performance Alloys on June 21, 2022.
IOSHA conducted an inspection at 444 Wilson Street between January 19 to May 9, records show.
It found a grinder was ineffectively guarded, which exposed employees at High Performance Alloys to potential “struck-by and caught-in hazards.”
“One or more methods of machine guarding shall be provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips and sparks,” read the IOSHA safety order. “Examples of guarding methods are barrier guards, two-hand tripping devices, electronic safety devices, etc.”
The safety order said the issue was corrected during inspection and issued a $1,350 proposed penalty to the company.
A spokesperson for IOSHA, Stephanie McFarland, said the business participated in an expedited informal settlement agreement and paid a $877.50 penalty.
WRTV also reached out to High Performance Alloys for comment on Friday’s workplace death and the prior safety order.
The business is closed August 15-17, according to their voicemail.
-
Indianapolis woman receives pardon from President Biden
An Indianapolis woman was among 39 individuals to be pardoned by President Biden on Thursday, in what was the largest single-day grant of clemency in modern history.
Bloomington City Council approves amended salary bump for elected officials
The Bloomington City-County Council has approved an amended ordinance to bump the salaries of elected officials, but not nearly as much as previously suggested.
1 killed in Westfield house fire
Westfield Fire Department responded to a fire with entrapment around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. They found a victim that was determined to be deceased.
Noblesville Santa keeping holiday magic alive, crafting wooden toys
One of Santa’s workshops is closer than you think. In a store front window on 9th Street in Noblesville is where you’ll find the city’s own Santa Claus putting together wooden toys.
