OSHA Inspection: REPUBLIC STEEL

Issued

Aug 7, 2015

Abate by

Aug 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $5,500 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section 5(a)(1):  The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees, in that employees were exposed to being struck by molten metal.       a. Republic Steel; On or about February 24, 2015, the employer permitted two employees to occupy the slide gate platform below the Demag turret while it would rotate a ladle containing approximately 150 tons of molten steel.  Once the ladle was rotated, the two employees were required to hook up hydraulic hoses to the turret arm and proceed to install or remove the slide gate cylinder.      Among other methods, one feasible mean and acceptable method to abate this hazard is to rewrite and implement the employers safe job procedures so that employees are not to access the slide gate platform until the ladle is rotated into position. A second feasible mean and acceptable method to abate this hazard would be to relocate the slide gate platform to a location where the ladle is not rotated over the employees standing on the work platform.

Issued

Aug 7, 2015

Abate by

Aug 14, 2015

Penalty

Initial $70,000 · Current $20,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(c)(1): Open-sided floors and/or platforms four feet or more above adjacent floor or ground level are not guarded with standard railings (or equivalent) and toeboards:    a) Republic Steel;  The employer fails to ensure that employees who access the segments within the spray chamber of the billet caster are protected from fall hazards. This violation was most recently observed on or about March 5, 2015 when an employee walking out onto an unprotected catwalk to climb a segment inside the spray chamber was exposed to a fall of approximately ten feet.      Republic Steel was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.23(c)(1), which was contained in:        OSHA Inspection number 941464, citation number 1 item 2 and was affirmed as a final order on June 19, 2014, with respect to a workplace located at 1807 East 28th Street in Lorain, Ohio.        OSHA Inspection number 942971, citation number 2 item 4 and was affirmed as a final order on April 21, 2014, with respect to a workplace located at 2633 8th Street NE in Canton, Ohio.        To abate this violation, the employer must ensure that fall protection is in place for employees accessing the segments inside the billet caster spray chamber.

Issued

Aug 7, 2015

Abate by

Aug 14, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(a): Protective equipment is not used when necessary whenever hazards capable of causing injury and impairment were encountered:    a) Republic Steel; The employer fails to ensure that employees are protected from falls when climbing segments inside the spray chamber of the billet caster. This violation was most recently observed on or about March 5, 2015. Employees that climb to the top of the segment were exposed to an approximate twenty foot fall hazard.    Republic Steel was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.23(c)(1), which was contained in:        OSHA Inspection number 941464, citation number 1 item 2 and was affirmed as a final order on June 19, 2014, with respect to a workplace located at 1807 East 28th Street in Lorain, Ohio.        OSHA Inspection number 942971, citation number 2 item 4 and was affirmed as a final order on April 21, 2014, with respect to a workplace located at 2633 8th Street NE in Canton, Ohio.        To abate this violation, the employer must ensure that fall protection is in place for employees accessing the segments inside the billet caster spray chamber.