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The 17-year-old worker at the company’s Titusville, PA, plant suffered a minor injury while operating a forklift.

Posted by Staff

March 29, 2023

1 Min Read
blurry image of forklift suggesting speed
MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images

The US Department of Labor announced today that it has assessed a $6,399 civil penalty against WL Plastics Manufacturing LLC following an investigation involving a 17-year-old worker who suffered a minor injury. The department said that the employer allowed the youth to illegally operate a forklift, a hazardous occupation under federal child labor law. Federal law prohibits workers under age 18 from operating hazardous equipment such as a forklift.

The injury occurred at the plant in Titusville, PA, which came under the WL Plastics umbrella with the acquisition of Charter Plastics in December 2021. Headquartered in Fort Worth, TX, WL Plastics is a leading supplier of high-density polyethylene pipe in North America.

During its review, the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division also determined that WL Plastics failed to pay proper overtime wages to 60 employees by not including safety bonuses in their wage calculations. The employer’s action led to a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the division said it recovered a total of $10,361 in back wages and liquidated damages for the affected workers.

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