Steel plant fined $270K for repeat safety violations after facing $364K in penalties 2 years ago
An OSHA inspection has determined that Kyoei Steel LTD is continuing to endanger its workers. The steel plant was added to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program two years ago after the company was cited for 19 serious violations and faced $364,078 in proposed penalties.
During its most recent inspection in January 2024, OSHA inspectors found five repeat and two serious violations. These violations include failing to effectively guard machines, thus exposing workers to moving parts; failing to maintain slings and keep workers clear of sling loads; and failing to evaluate employees’ medical ability to use a respirator. Because of these violations, Kyoei Steel faces $269,631in penalties.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, OSHA Area Director Diego Alvarado Jr. said, “Vinton Steel continues to show a callous disregard for the safety of its employees by exposing them to potentially deadly hazards. The company must immediately stop endangering its workers and correct its safety failures before someone gets seriously injured or worse.”
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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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