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LORDSTOWN -- Ultium Cells faces more than $270,000 in penalties after federal regulators found 19 health and safety violations in four separate inspections over a period of two weeks at the electric-vehicle battery-cell factory in Lordstown.
That's according to a release Thursday from the U.S. Department of Labor that states the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited the company with 17 serious and two other-than-serious violations.
Inspectors found the company "exposed workers to machine and chemical hazards by failing to use and train workers on safety and emergency response procedures," the release states.
OSHA also found the company did not comply with federally-required safety standards regarding use of personal protective equipment, including respirators, the release states.
The inspections happened between April 24 and May 5 at the Tod Avenue factory.
Ultium Cells is a joint venture between General Motors and South Korea's LG Energy Solution to mass produce battery cells for EVs. More than 1,400 people are employed at the Lordstown factory, the first of three operating under Ultium Cells.
In addition to the proposed fine, OSHA has asked Ultium Cells to voluntarily reduce metal dust accumulations and protect employees from unsafe metal dust exposure, the release states.
"Ultium Cells' technology and advanced manufacturing facilities are part of a new and emerging field but workplace safety standards -- such as machine guarding, personal protective equipment and emergency response training -- have been the law for decades," said Howard Eberts, OSHA area director in Cleveland, said. "The company's focus on the future must include an emphasis on workplace safety to ensure the well-being of its employees."
A spokeswoman for Ultium Cells said Thursday in an email the company was notified of multiple violations in a letter Oct. 5.
The company, according to Katie Burdette, Ultium Cells communications manager, has requested a hearing with OSHA.
"Our commitment to safety is paramount, and we make it a point to work closely and collaboratively with state and federal officials, as well as our local union leadership, to ensure we are operating in accordance with all relevant regulations," Katie Burdette, Ultium Cells communications manager, wrote.
"We look forward to a constructive dialogue with OSHA and hope to resolve these issues quickly and reinforce our commitment to fostering a safety-first mindset among all Ultium team members."
According to the release, OSHA inspectors found Ultium Cells failed to:
-- Periodically test energy control procedures for various equipment.
-- Install required machine guarding.
-- Train workers in hazardous energy control procedures.
-- Provide safe access and egress for packing employees, who were exposed to trip and fall hazards.
-- Train workers in emergency response operations, including the release of hazardous N-Methylpyrrolidone.
-- Coordinate emergency responses with an incident response system.
-- Provide respiratory protection from exposure to hazardous chemicals that can cause numbness, dizziness and nausea.
-- Train workers on the physical and health risks of hazardous chemicals used in the workplace.
-- Provide safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals.
-- Store chemicals in labeled containers.
-- Select appropriate personal protective equipment and provide training on the use of PPE for potential exposure to chemical hazards, such as electrolyte and dried coating material.
-- Provide eye wash stations, emergency showers and hand protection.
-- Inform employees of their right to report workplace injuries and illnesses.
-- Allow an employee to freely report an injury.
In addition, OSHA has one open inspection at the facility following a June 27 fire and three inquiries, including a report the company exposed workers to airborne chemicals in the cathode mixing area after a pressure gauge failed, resulting in battery slurry leaking onto the plant floor on Aug. 20.
In August, Burdette said after the slurry leak was discovered, "immediate steps were taken to isolate the cause and contain the leak." Operations also were stopped temporarily while the company "assessed and addressed the situation," she said.
No operators were present in the area; no employee was exposed or injured; and a third party was brought in to help with the cleanup, she said.
According to OSHA, the slurry contained N-Methylpyrrolidone (NMP), a solvent used in a variety of products and purposes, from semiconductor manufacturing to silk screen printing to construction adhesives and solvents, according to an advisory OSHA provided from the California Department of Public Health.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has determined NMP "presents an unreasonable risk of injury to human health under its conditions of use," its website states.
The agency has assessed the impact on workers, occupational nonusers, consumers and bystanders and identified fetal loss as the primary health risk for short-term exposure and reduced fertility from long-term exposure to the chemical, according to the site.
Since the factory began production in August 2022, OSHA has cited the plant 11 times.
rselak@tribtoday.com