HOLLAND, Mich. - After an employee at Request Foods in Holland raised the alarm about what looked like a noose she found hanging from the ceiling, the company investigated the claim.
The president of the company Steve DeWitt, said that the so-called noose was actually a makeshift hoop employees hung up to use as a part of a game.
The employee who first reported the hoop said she was extremely disturbed by the image. It appeared to be made out of tape and was found hanging from the ceiling pipes.
In a statement, DeWitt said, "When the team member who constructed the hoop learned how it was perceived by a colleague on a later shift, he was extremely remorseful and distressed."
The employee that hung up the hoop told management that it was not his intention to harm anyone. Employees at Request Foods met to talk about the hoop on Friday afternoon, and an apology was extended and accepted.
DeWitt said even though there was no malicious intent behind the hoop, Request Foods is using the incident as an opportunity to bring attention to unintentional consequences.
"We believe every one of our team members should feel safe and welcomed in our facilities," said DeWitt.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@wzzm13.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter.