Silver Dollar City fined by OSHA after employee death

Last edited 12:16 p.m., Dec. 20, 2022

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has levied a penalty against Silver Dollar City over the death of an employee this summer.

The penalty is $14,502, according to a notice on OSHA's website. The notice does not state the exact nature of the incident, and it does not provide recommendations.

OSHA launched an investigation after a maintenance employee at Silver Dollar City "was hospitalized July 20 with head injuries allegedly sustained during maintenance and testing of a ride and died of his injuries July 21," according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting.

"The investigation will determine how the injuries occurred and if any violations of safety regulations contributed to the injury and subsequent death," said Rhonda Burke, deputy director of public affairs for the Department of Labor's Chicago office that covers Missouri, in a statement to SBJ in July. "OSHA has six months to complete its investigation, issue citations and propose monetary penalties."

Silver Dollar City on Monday released a statement in response to OSHA's decision.

"The safety of all Silver Dollar City hosts and guests is a responsibility we take with the utmost seriousness. We have worked with OSHA over the past several months to review the employee accident that took place earlier this year, which included discussions regarding our voluntary revisions to safeguarding measures in restricted areas," the statement reads. "OSHA has reviewed and accepted these changes, training for which has been implemented with the appropriate personnel."

The incident this summer appears to be the second work-related death at Silver Dollar City. Speaking to SBJ this summer, spokesperson Lisa Rau said an employee was killed in the 1990s when a lightning strike hit a nearby tree and traveled through a metal picnic table.