Phenix Lumber Co. in Alabama was
the deadliest workplace in America, yet
it remained open for years despite its horrifying safety record.
Workers were maimed, crushed, burned, lost fingers, suffered broken bones, or were sucked into machinery. Three people died - one so brutally that only 23 pounds of his remains were recovered.Yet, despite more than 180 safety violations and millions in fines, this death trap continued to operate. All while its owners and managers
prioritized profits over basic safety precautions.
Sign the petition to demand a full investigation and to hold the owners of Phenix Lumber responsible for the deaths and injuries at their facilities!Employees were
forced to put their hands into active machinery to clear jams - without shutting off the power. Safety guards were left off, and machines were in such poor condition that they constantly malfunctioned. OSHA deemed Phenix Lumber
one of the "worst of the worst" employers, but under weak federal laws, the agency lacked the power to shut it down.
Before each shift, workers started praying that they would make it out alive and uninjured.
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) repeatedly cited Phenix Lumber for endangering its workers. Despite OSHA's citations and fines totaling millions of dollars, time and again, the company evaded true accountability. In 2011, OSHA issued Phenix a historic $1.9 million fine, only for a judge to slash it to just $300,000.
Even after multiple deaths - including that of Brandon Vandyke, who was gruesomely killed inside a wood-chip silo in 2020 - operations continued with little consequence.The owners of Phenix Lumber - one of the wealthiest families in eastern Alabama - ignored repeated warnings, knowingly placing workers in life-threatening conditions. When a 67-year-old maintenance supervisor named James
Streetman was
shredded in an auger - a giant drilling machine - the company had the audacity to blame him for his own death.
His body was so thoroughly dismembered, it was painstakingly recovered piece by bludgeoned, mashed up piece. A co-worker called 911 after he discovered a disembodied leg on its own near the heavy machinery. Later, officials found that his liver had been ejected from his body; his spine was pulverized. No one ever found his heart. One police officer on the scene stated in horror:
"There ain't nothing left of him."Now, the company has conveniently declared bankruptcy, dodging accountability for its long history of human suffering.This is an outrageous failure of workplace protections and corporate responsibility.
We demand a full federal investigation into how this mill was allowed to keep operating despite its appalling safety violations. Additionally, the owners and executives responsible for this culture of negligence must be held personally accountable - no more hiding behind a bankrupt company.No worker should have to fear for their life just to earn a paycheck. Sign the petition now to demand justice for the victims of Phenix Lumber's deadly negligence!