Ultium Cells EV battery plant in Ohio faces $270,000 in OSHA fines

WASHINGTON — Ultium Cells LLC is facing fines of more than $270,000 after federal investigators identified 19 safety and health violations at its electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant in Warren, Ohio.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Thursday said investigators examining the cause of a March explosion and fire at the plant led the agency to cite the company for 17 serious violations and two other violations that affect job safety and health.

OSHA inspectors found Ultium — a joint venture between General Motors and South Korea's LG Energy Solution to produce battery cells for the automaker's EVs — "exposed workers to machine and chemical hazards by failing to use and train workers on safety and emergency response procedures," the agency said.

Ultium also did not comply with federal safety standards for the use of personal protective equipment, including respirators, investigators found.

OSHA said it has issued the company a hazard alert letter, asking them to voluntarily reduce the buildup of metal dust and protect employees from dust exposure.

"Our commitment to safety is paramount, and we make it a point to work closely and collaboratively with state and federal officials, as well as our local union leadership, to ensure we are operating in accordance with all relevant regulations," Ultium spokesperson Katie Burdette said in a statement.

"We take safety seriously and have requested a hearing with OSHA, which is the next step in this process," she continued. "We look forward to a constructive dialogue with OSHA and hope to resolve these issues quickly and reinforce our commitment to fostering a safety-first mindset among all Ultium team members."

OSHA said it has one open inspection at the Warren plant following a June 27 fire and three inquires, including a report after a pressure gauge failed Aug. 20, resulting in a battery slurry leak that temporarily halted activity in the plant's cathode mixing area.

OSHA said it has cited the Warren plant 11 times since it began battery cell production in August 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," Howard Eberts, an OSHA area director in Cleveland, said in a statement. "The company's focus on the future must include an emphasis on workplace safety to ensure the well-being of its employees."

In December, the UAW won an election at the Warren plant — marking the first and only unionized battery cell manufacturing plant in the U.S. — with workers voting 710-16 in favor of union representation.

In August, UAW members at the plant voted 895-22 to ratify an interim agreement that immediately raised wages by $3 to $4 an hour.

UAW President Shawn Fain this month said GM had agreed to put EV battery production under the terms of the national contract — a key priority for the union amid ongoing strikes at the Detroit 3. The union did not provide specifics on what putting battery production under the national contract would mean.

In a statement issued Thursday, Fain said: "We've 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. There’s a reason we’ve had strong health, safety, wage, and other standards in the auto industry for generations. That’s exactly what we’re fighting for at Ultium, and that’s exactly what we’re going to win.”