Blue Diamond Steel penalized for various safety and health hazards

A Pigeon industry is penalized more than $200,000 when recent inspections exhibited many safety & health threats.

The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations to Blue Diamond Steel LLC on July 6 for suspected health & safety violations of serious hazards to worker safety.

Blue Diamond Steel, a non-ferrous foundry manufactures steel castings for wide range of uses in the heavy equipment and automotive industries.

The MIOSHA’s General Industry Safety and Health Division conducted 2 checks at the industry starting Feb. 8 till June 2 & the outcomes presented 23 citations. The safety checkup initiated on Feb. 8 and closed April 27 and health inspections started Feb. 26 and wrapped up on June 2.

A Blue Diamond Steel representative did not return calls seeking comment on Friday.

From the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Kevin Ray delivered a list of citations to the Tribune & the fines they had.

The inspections after classification show: 6 serious citations, 1 willful serious citation, 8 repeat-serious citations, 7 other-than-serious citations and 1 repeat other-than-serious citation. The penalties for citations fluctuated from $0 to $70,000.

Several more heavy violations & their fine include:

• Willful serious violation: Welding/torch cutting & melter workers were overexposed to iron oxide fumes & welding fumes, $70,000.
• Repeat-serious violations: The employees who perform services and maintenance on three induction furnaces on the pour deck, are not provided with suitable level of energy isolation training, $25,000; No guards were provided for pinch points existing on several machineries in several instances, $20,000; Employees were not safe from the threat of being struck or caught by intended or unintended motion of the robot & there were several scarce barrier guards with extreme openings, $12,500.

The 23 citations carry a total penalty of $205,400.

Huron Casting Inc. is the child company of Blue Diamond Steel, sharing the same owner & safety director. These businesses have created a history of violations, from 2010 to 2015. With 18 inspections, a total of 96 citations with overall initial penalties of $260,200 were resulted, according to the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.

Blue Diamond Steel has 15 working days from receipt of the citations — July 6 — to comply or contest the violations & penalties.