The company that operates racing at a North American Standardbred track has been fined $5,000 in relation to the death of a longtime employee last fall.
Hollywood Casino Hotel and Raceway, the operators of Bangor Raceway in Maine, has been handed the fine by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, according to an article by the Bangor Daily News.
On September 9, 2015, longtime track employee Edwin ‘Ed’ Reynolds was killed when a starting-gate vehicle struck him while he was on the track. Reynolds was also a Standardbred breeder and owner.
The OSHA issued the citation last week, stating that Hollywood Casino Hotel and Raceway had been under ‘serious’ violation because it had not assessed the workplace to determine if hazards were likely to be present, which would have necessitated the use of personal protective equipment.
The article also explains that the citation also states that Hollywood Casino Hotel and Raceway “did not assess the hazards associated with the operation of the open starting gate while foot traffic was permitted around the track.”
(With files from the Bangor Daily News)