Meat processor Darin Wilbur, 55, from Saranac, has pled guilty to one count of employing a 17-year-old in a dangerous profession after an on-the-job accident resulted in the minor losing his hand in a meat grinder.
The 17-year-old illegal employee suffered the amputation of his right hand by a meat grinder while working for US Gusy Processing, an Ionia County meat processing company, on Nov. 19, 2019.
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The 55-year-old man was the company’s owner. The minor was operating the meat grinder under Wilber’s supervision. During processing, officials say the 17-year-old was pulled into the grinder.
After the incident, the Michigan Wage and Hour Division was referred for a serious injury to a minor.
The division investigated and determined that the minor was illegally employed under the Youth Employment Standards Act.
Officials say Wilbur did not ensure that the minor obtained a work permit as is required for employing individuals under the age of 18 in Michigan.
“Our labor laws were written to protect children from dangerous workplaces; however, they lack the teeth needed to properly hold bad employers accountable for violations,” said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. “This case highlights the need to strengthen these protections, as well as the consequences for violations, and I look forward to working with the legislature on this critical work to protect the state’s youth.”