Ultium Cells Ohio battery plant fined $270,000 for safety violations

Ultium Cells, a 50-50 joint battery venture between LG Energy Solution and General Motors, has been fined $270,000 for violating safety regulations at its battery plant in Ohio.

Ultium Cells employees work at its battery manufacturing plant in Lordstown, Ohio. Ultium Cells is a 50:50 joint battery venture between LG Energy Solution and General Motors.

Ultium Cells, a 50-50 joint battery venture between LG Energy Solution and General Motors, has been fined $270,000 for violating safety regulations at its battery plant in Ohio.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said Thursday it proposes a $270,091 fine as it discovered 19 safety and health violations at the plant in Warren, Ohio, with 17 of them serious.

The OSHA inspectors found the company exposed workers to hazards by failing to train them on safety and emergency response procedures and did not comply with federal standards for personal protective equipment use.

The plant started making battery cells in 2022.

“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 Cleveland Area Director Howard Eberts said in a statement.

The agency says Ultium Cells has 15 business days of receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference or contest the findings with an independent commission.

OSHA said it had also issued a hazard alert letter asking the company to voluntarily reduce accumulations of metal dust and protect employees from unsafe metal dust exposure.

Ultium Cells immediately requested a hearing with OSHA, saying that they hope to resolve the issues quickly and "reinforce our commitment to fostering a safety-first mindset among all Ultium team members,” according to a statement.

The OSHA also said it has been investigating a fire case that occurred on June 27.

The decision came as United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain earlier in the year called for better safety protections as part of a contract agreement after citing multiple incidents at the plant.

The UAW unionized the plant last year.

In a statement released Thursday, Fain said the union has "been sounding the alarm for months about Ultium and these high-risk, high-skill EV battery operations. This is dangerous work that deserves to be compensated well."

LG Energy Solution and General Motors are constructing two more battery plants in Tennessee and Michigan.

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]