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PAYSON -- State labor officials have slapped a Payson company with safety violations related to the death of a worker in January.
Sabinsa Corporation faces fines over what inspectors found the day after a worker mysteriously died.
It's still unclear why Mauricio Lacayo died -- autopsy results have not been made public -- but the Division of Occupational Safety and Health of the Utah Labor Commission found several safety violations in the building the day after his death.
Lacayo went home sick from his job at Sabinsa in Payson on Jan. 19. The 29-year-old husband and father went to a nearby medical clinic and later died.
His death appeared to be related to his workplace, and now this citation from the Utah Labor Commission found 15 violations in the days after his death -- 13 of them labeled as "serious."
The first violation involves workers who told investigators that an unnamed employee on the day of Lacayo's death was observed obtaining a quality control sample of L-Selenomethionine without wearing a face respirator, as required.
A previous statement issued by Sabinsa suggests that employee was Lacayo.
The workers also told investigators an employee was observed eating in his office, which was within the manufacturing area of the facility -- which is against regulations.
It's unclear if the unnamed employee was Lacayo.
The remaining citations involved several aspects of safety violations ranging from safety masks to untrained employees operating forklifts.
A few days after Lacayo's death, KSL talked to former employees who claimed there were safety problems inside the facility. Sabinsa officials refuted those claims and said everything Lacayo worked with in the facility was nutritional ingredients, nothing toxic or dangerous.
In all, the fines against Sabinsa total $11,375. The company can appeal the violations.
KSL has made attempts both by phone and e-mail to reach Sabinsa for a response, but messages have not been returned.
E-mail: spenrod@ksl.com
