The U.S. Department of Labor placed an El Paso medal fabricator in a severe violator program after its 10th incident in the span of five years.
Kyoei Steel LTD, which operates under the name Vinton Steel LLC, was found guilty of repeatedly exposing employees to fall, machine and other safety hazards by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, according to an April 14 news release. The agency found a sum of 19 violations and proposed penalties of $364,078.
"Placement in OSHA’s Severe Violator Program is a designation given to employers that show disregard for employee safety and health," OSHA Area Director Diego Alvarado Jr. said in the release. “The company needs to immediately evaluate its facility for safety and health hazards, implement safety procedures and train workers on how to follow those procedures."
According to the news release, OSHA opened an investigation in October 2021 after a worker was treated for second-degree burns on his hand. Ten incidents in five years, including five amputation injuries, landed the company on the severe violator program.
Kyoei Steel LTD is headquartered in Osaka, Japan, operating under a different name in the U.S. The company employs roughly 400 people in the U.S. These employees are represented by the union United Steelworkers Local 9424.
