Virginia Company Faces Penalties for Fatality

State regulators have proposed $19,670 in civil penalties against a Virginia company stemming from a fatal forklift accident.

State records obtained by The News-Virginian under the state’s Freedom of Information Act show “serious” safety violations were found during a probe of the accident at Matt’s Supreme Cones’ waffle cone plant.

The newspaper reports that a forklift hit the top of a wall opening on April 13. The wall collapsed and killed 37-year-old Rosa Hernadez of Waynesboro.

The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry’s investigation found insufficient training, and inadequate maneuvering space and signage for safe use of forklifts at the plant’s loading docks.

Company representatives declined to comment.