Republic Steel, OSHA Reach Settlement Agreement Over Safety, Health Violations
04/29/2014 - Republic Steel has entered into a comprehensive settlement agreement with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the United Steelworkers Union (USW) to resolve citations recently issued by OSHA against the company.
The citations stem from a series of unprecedented wall-to-wall inspections throughout the fall of 2013 at Republic’s facilities in Lorain, Canton, and Massillon, Ohio, and Blasdell, N.Y. The inspections involved a total of 23 OSHA inspectors who inspected the company for nearly 80 days.
Naturally, given the breadth of OSHA’s inspection and the enormous size of the company’s facilities, OHSA found violative conditions, many of which the company was not aware. When these conditions were brought to the company’s attention, the company promptly took steps to correct them.
“When our owners purchased this company in 2005, they acquired a business that had gone through multiple bankruptcies, burdened by aging and antiquated facilities, and neglected over an extended period of time due to the financial situation of the company” said Jaime Vigil, Republic’s President and CEO. Since that time, Republic’s new owners have invested over $700 million into the company, protected thousands of jobs, and made countless safety upgrades. Throughout 2013 alone, Republic hired additional full-time safety personnel, put all of its production and maintenance employees through intensive two-day safety training, conducted numerous safety audits with its own personnel and outside auditors to identify and correct potential safety hazards, hired consultants to review its safety programs, and spent several million dollars on safety upgrades throughout its facilities.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Republic Steel has agreed to continue taking steps toward becoming a leader in safety. For instance, the company has agreed to:
The company has also agreed to work with the USW and OSHA to develop and implement a comprehensive “best in class” safety program. The program, which will include extensive employee involvement, will provide for the systematic identification, evaluation, and prevention or control of workplace health and safety hazards.
“We look forward to the continuation of our safety efforts and implementation of the new items set forth in the settlement agreement, especially the new safety program, which will assist us in becoming a leader in the safety arena,” says Mr. Vigil.
Republic Steel is a North American supplier of special bar quality (SBQ) steel bars, a highly engineered product used in axles, drive shafts, suspension rods and other critical components of automobiles, off-highway vehicles and industrial equipment. With headquarters in Canton, Ohio, and manufacturing facilities throughout Ohio, Indiana, New York, and Hamilton, Ontario, Republic employs over 2,300 workers, approximately 1900 of whom work in Northeast Ohio.
Naturally, given the breadth of OSHA’s inspection and the enormous size of the company’s facilities, OHSA found violative conditions, many of which the company was not aware. When these conditions were brought to the company’s attention, the company promptly took steps to correct them.
“When our owners purchased this company in 2005, they acquired a business that had gone through multiple bankruptcies, burdened by aging and antiquated facilities, and neglected over an extended period of time due to the financial situation of the company” said Jaime Vigil, Republic’s President and CEO. Since that time, Republic’s new owners have invested over $700 million into the company, protected thousands of jobs, and made countless safety upgrades. Throughout 2013 alone, Republic hired additional full-time safety personnel, put all of its production and maintenance employees through intensive two-day safety training, conducted numerous safety audits with its own personnel and outside auditors to identify and correct potential safety hazards, hired consultants to review its safety programs, and spent several million dollars on safety upgrades throughout its facilities.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Republic Steel has agreed to continue taking steps toward becoming a leader in safety. For instance, the company has agreed to:
- Implement a state-of-the-art electronic health and safety management and tracking system;
- Institute a toll-free health and safety hotline to provide employees with a mechanism for anonymously reporting potential health and safety concerns;
- Continue conducting periodic safety audits with its own personnel and outside auditors;
- Continue to improve health and safety training programs for employees and contractors; and
- Continue using joint health and safety committees to assist with improving health and safety at the facilities.
The company has also agreed to work with the USW and OSHA to develop and implement a comprehensive “best in class” safety program. The program, which will include extensive employee involvement, will provide for the systematic identification, evaluation, and prevention or control of workplace health and safety hazards.
“We look forward to the continuation of our safety efforts and implementation of the new items set forth in the settlement agreement, especially the new safety program, which will assist us in becoming a leader in the safety arena,” says Mr. Vigil.
Republic Steel is a North American supplier of special bar quality (SBQ) steel bars, a highly engineered product used in axles, drive shafts, suspension rods and other critical components of automobiles, off-highway vehicles and industrial equipment. With headquarters in Canton, Ohio, and manufacturing facilities throughout Ohio, Indiana, New York, and Hamilton, Ontario, Republic employs over 2,300 workers, approximately 1900 of whom work in Northeast Ohio.
