Weyerhaeuser was fined nearly $50,000 by the N.C. Department of Labor for a March workplace death at the since closed New Bern sawmill.
The Labor Department cited Weyerhaeuser with three “serious violations” that contributed to the death of 37-year-old Robert Wood.
Wood was servicing the hydraulic system of a forklift under the raised carriage when a sudden loss of hydraulic pressure caused the forks to fall on him.
In a statement, Weyerhauser officials said they will be working with the North Carolina Department of Labor to understand the full details of the citation, and their goal is to ensure they have the right culture, procedures and training in place to provide a safe working environment.
They added that the decision to curtail operations at the mill was in no way connected to the incident.
In July, Weyerhaeuser announced it was halting operations indefinitely at its New Bern sawmill. A total of 73 workers were affected by the closure of the plant, which was finalized on Sept. 16.
