OSHA concludes Ohio iron foundry could have prevented worker’s death – Workplace Health and Safety

OSHA concludes that an Ohio iron foundry company could have prevented a worker’s death

Ellwood Engineered Castings Company faces fines totaling $145,184.

• By Robert Yaniz Jr.
• 03 July 2024

OSHA investigators concluded that Ellwood Engineered Castings Company, based in Hubbard, Ohio, could have prevented a molten metal spill that resulted in the death of a 30-year-old worker.

According to a recent press release, the investigation found that the fatal accident occurred while the employee was working at the bottom of a pit beneath the foundry. The company lacked an effective process for containing and handling leaking molten metal, exposing workers to severe hazards. The molten metal in the plant is heated to over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

OSHA found that Ellwood Engineered Castings, a company specializing in the manufacture of large iron castings, did not have an effective, permit-based confined space program, which is critical to safe entry and exit from the mold pit. The company also failed to educate its employees about the unique hazards of working in the pit, exposing them to fall hazards from heights of up to 15 feet.

Following the investigation, OSHA charged Ellwood Engineered Castings Company with 11 serious violations and proposed penalties totaling $145,184.

“A worker died needlessly because Ellwood Engineered Castings Co. failed to protect him and his co-workers from obvious and deadly hazards,” Howard Eberts, OSHA’s Cleveland area director, said in a statement. “The company could have prevented this tragedy had it been responsible and followed known safety measures.”

Ellwood Engineered Castings, part of the privately held Ellwood Group, now has 15 business days after receiving the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal meeting with the OSHA area director or contest the findings before an independent commission.