Indiana fines Winnebago $10,000 for employee fatality in April

The Indiana Occupational Health and Safety Administration fined Winnebago of Middlebury $10,000 for violations related to the death of an employee in April 2017.

Ricky Schlabach, 54, died of blunt force injuries after being hit by a forklift.

IOSHA fined the company $5,000 for installing plexiglass windshields on the front and back of the forklift without the approval of the manufacturer.

Any modifications that affect capacity and safe operation of vehicles like the forklift cannot be made without the manufacturer's approval.

The company was also fined $5,000 for operating the forklift at a speed that prevented the operator from stopping it in a safe manner.

Both violations are serious.

The company must pay the $10,000 fine within 15 days of the order unless the order is appealed. The violations must be corrected by August 22.

The OSHA case into the fatality is still open.