OSHA, which is charged with the enforcement of safety and health legislation, said it would not be conducting an investigation, but said AK Steel must look into the alleged hazards.
“We have not determined whether the hazards, as alleged, exist in your workplace, and we do not intend to conduct an inspection at this time,” reads the letter from OSHA. “However, because allegations of violations and/or hazards have been made, we request that you immediately investigate the alleged conditions and make any necessary corrections or modifications.”
OSHA informed AK Steel it had until Wednesday to inform it of the results of that investigation.
AK Steel must provide supporting documentation of its findings, including any applicable measurements or monitoring results.
OSHA said it also conducts random inspections to verify that corrective actions asserted by an employers have actually been taken.
Reached for comment, AK Steel spokeswoman Lisa Jester said, “We are working with OSHA on their non-formal review, and have no further information to share at this time.”
Fortune 500 company AK Steel Holding Corp. is headquartered in West Chester Twp. Between operations in West Chester Twp. and its Middletown Works steel plant, AK Steel employs approximately 2,400 full-time workers in Butler County, making it the county’s third-largest employer.
AK Steel facilities in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Minnesota employ more than 8,000 altogether and produce flat-rolled carbon, electrical and stainless steels used by the automotive, appliance, construction and manufacturing markets.
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