A former employee of Lehigh Cement’s Nazareth (Pa.) cement plant has filed a lawsuit over a 2019 workplace accident that resulted in his leg being partially amputated, reported local media.
The lawsuit names Lehigh Hanson, affiliate Lehigh Cement, their parent company and three contractors in connection with the September 2019 accident.
Vincenzo DeNisi was shoveling cement dust into a grated channel above when an unsecured metal floor grate collapsed into a rotating 24-in. radial metal conveyor screw blade causing his left leg to be snagged then severed.
Shortly after the accident, which the Mine Safety and Health Administration determined to be the result of “negligence,” the agency ordered corrective actions that included installation of properly fitted and anchored floor grating, handrails and safety-warning signage. Photos in the accident report depict missing supports for the grating at the time of the incident and the remediated work location.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages under Pennsylvania law and includes a request for a jury trial.
