OSHA Finds Ohio Iron Castings Company Could Have Prevented Worker Death

Ellwood Engineered Castings Company faces $145,184 in proposed penalties.

• By Robert Yaniz Jr.
• Jul 03, 2024

OSHA investigators concluded Hubbard, Ohio-based Ellwood Engineered Castings Company could have prevented a molten metal leak resulting in the death of a 30-year-old worker.

According to a recent release, the investigation revealed the fatal incident occurred when the employee was working at the bottom of a pit below the casting operation. The company lacked an effective process for containing and managing molten metal leaks, which exposed workers to severe hazards. Molten metal in the facility is heated to over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

OSHA found that Ellwood Engineered Castings—which specializes in producing large iron castings—did not have an effective permit-required confined space program, which is critical for ensuring safe access and exit from the mold pit. The company also failed to train employees on the specific hazards of working in the pit and exposed them to fall hazards of up to 15 feet.

Following the investigation, OSHA cited Ellwood Engineered Castings Company with 11 serious violations and proposed $145,184 in penalties.

“A worker died needlessly because Ellwood Engineered Castings Co. failed to protect him and his colleagues from obvious and deadly hazards,” OSHA Area Director Howard Eberts in Cleveland said in a statement. “The company could have prevented this tragedy being responsible and by following well-known safety measures.”

Ellwood Engineered Castings, part of the privately owned Ellwood Group, now has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before an independent commission.