OSHA cites Sheffield Steel for 14 violations

Thursday, August 9th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

SAND SPRINGS, Okla. (AP) _ The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed fining Sheffield Steel Corp. $63,125 and cited the mill for 14 violations, officials said Wednesday.

OSHA accused the Sand Springs steel mill of the safety and health violations after inspections beginning June 5.

The allegations included having blocked aisles and failing to determine space hazards that could cause death or serious harm.

Most of the proposed fine, about $55,000, came from repeat violations _ problems OSHA already has identified in a Sheffield Steel facility in Illinois. These citations included blocked access to electrical disconnect boxes and circuit breakers, and failing to provide appropriate guarding of machines.

Other violations included lack of adequate eye protection and failure to separate oxygen cylinders from fuel gas cylinders.

Doug Strickland, manager of health and safety for Sheffield, said the company has 15 days from the issuance of the citations to meet with OSHA representatives. He said the company will fix the problems by the time of the meeting and will ask for a penalty reduction.

``Almost everything has been corrected and everything will be corrected by the time we go to an informal conference,'' he said.