OSHA Penalizes GM and LG Energy Solution Joint Venture for $270,091 in Violations

Ultium Cells LLC faces hefty fines following extensive OSHA investigations.

  • By Robert Yaniz Jr.
  • Oct 17, 2023

Warren, Ohio-based Ultium Cells LLC, a joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution, is now the subject of OSHA violations, amounting to $270,091 in proposed penalties.

A string of investigations was triggered by a March 2023 explosion and additional safety complaints at the battery manufacturing plant. In less than two weeks, OSHA opened four inspections, ultimately citing the company for 17 serious and two other-than-serious violations.

OSHA inspectors concluded that the company jeopardized worker safety through inadequate training on emergency response procedures and neglecting to employ vital safety measures. This oversight included the absence of machine guarding, inadequate hazardous energy control training, improper use of PPE and failure to provide safe access, creating trip and fall risks.

“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,” OSHA Area Director Howard Eberts in Cleveland said in a statement. “The company’s focus on the future must include an emphasis on workplace safety to ensure the well-being of its employees.”

Since it began battery cell production in August 2022, OSHA has cited the Warren facility 11 times. OSHA still has an open inspection there following a fire in June 2023 and three inquiries, including an incident in August 2023 in which workers were exposed to a battery spill. Ultium Cells LLC also has facilities under construction in Michigan and Tennessee.

The company now has 15 business days to either comply, request an informal discussion with OSHA or challenge the findings with the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

About the Author

Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.

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