Vinton Steel Plant Faces Fines Over Alleged Repeat Safety Violations

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has proposed fining Texas-based fabrication and recycling facility Vinton Steel $269,631 in penalties after a follow-up inspection allegedly uncovered repeated violations of federal safety and health regulations, according to a July 11 press release. Inspectors say the facility was still “endangering its workers” in a visit in January of this year, almost two years after the DOL added Osaka, Japan-based Kyoei Steel LTD—which operates as Vinton Steel LLC in Texas—to its list of “severe violators” and cited it for 19 serious violations. According to DOL, inspectors in January found the facility was failing to keep employees away from loads being lifted by slings, which were also not in “good working order,” and wasn’t properly guarding machinery, exposing workers to moving parts, not keeping fire extinguishers in good operating condition, and failing to ensure workplace respirators were properly fit....