Auto parts manufacturer fined $182K after worker is severely injured by arc flash
An OSHA investigation has determined that Aludyne Columbus LLC, which operates as Aludyne Columbus Foundry, exposed its workers to respiratory and electrical hazards. OSHA was investigating a complaint when the agency learned that a maintenance worker at the auto parts manufacturing plant was severely injured from an electrical transformer explosion, causing OSHA to open a second investigation. The employee was attempting to replace a blown fuse on a transformer when they were injured by an arc flash.
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The company was ultimately cited for 22 serious and three other-than-serious violations. These violations include failing to provide and require the use of recommended PPE, including electrical suits and NIOSH-approved respirators; permitting the use of non-insulated tools within 12 inches of energized power lines; and exposing employees to airborne concentration of respirable silica of up to 15 times above the permissible time-weighted average. The company faces $182,344 in penalties.
In a recent quote, OSHA Atlanta-West Area Office Director Jeffery Stawowy said, “Aludyne Columbus LLC’s failure to prioritize employee safety and health nearly cost a worker their life and allowed employees to be overexposed to silica well above the permissible exposure limit. This employer must take worker safety seriously by assessing hazards and taking responsibility for protecting their workers.”
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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