In order to address recent circumstances that resulted in the fatal injuries of a 25-year-old employee, the U.S. Department of Labor has reached a settlement deal with a Mississippi steel pipe manufacturing that has a lengthy history of safety violations.
According to an OSHA investigation, Jindal Tubular USA failed to implement safe procedures for pipe stacking and storage, which led to a tragic event in which 2,000-pound pipes collapsed, killing one worker and seriously injuring a 20-year-old worker who later lost both legs.
OSHA cited the company, which employs over 400 people and operates a 155-acre facility in Bay Saint Louis where it manufactures and coatings big diameter steel pipes, for neglecting to make sure stacked pipes were secure and stable against collapse.
Three recurring infractions were also found by inspectors, including the failure to provide machine guarding, frequently check or test electrical insulating protection gloves, and eliminate slipping hazards.
The company received a citation for 26 major infractions, including failing to label exit doors to allow for safe egress in the event of a fire, allowing flammable dust to accumulate on surfaces, and failing to make sure guardrails or covers were in place at open pits to protect workers from fall hazards.
In the past five years, Jindal Tubular USA has received citations for 46 OSHA safety violations, including the most recent ones.
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“Jindal Tubular’s repeated failure to provide employees with a safe workplace has been truly disturbing,” OSHA Area Office Director Courtney Bohannon stated. “We hope this settlement signals a new willingness to make employee safety the centerpiece of its operations.”
OSHA and the Office of the Solicitor reached an arrangement wherein Jindal Tubular USA will pay $442,815 in fines and discontinue its challenge to the citations.
