Steel Pipe Manufacturer Settles Over Safety Failures that Led to Worker's Death

The company will pay nearly half a million dollars in penalties.

Osha
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Mississippi steel pipe manufacturer Jindal Tubular USA LLC entered into a settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor regarding conditions that led to a 25-year-old employee’s fatal injuries in January 2024 in Bay Saint Louis.

An OSHA investigation found that the company had not established safe practices for storing and stacking pipes. This resulted in an incident where 2,000-pound pipes collapsed, fatally injuring one worker and causing life-altering injuries to a 20-year-old laborer, who subsequently lost both legs.

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With the latest violations, Jindal Tubular USA has been cited for 46 OSHA safety violations in the last five years.

OSHA cited the company for failing to ensure stacked pipes were stable and secure against collapse. Inspectors also identified three repeat violations that included failing to provide machine guarding, inspect or test electrical insulating protective gloves periodically and prevent slipping hazards.

Additionally, the company was cited for 26 serious violations that included failing to ensure guardrails or covers were in place at open pits to protect employees from fall hazards, allowing accumulation of combustible dust on surfaces and failing to label exit doors to facilitate safe egress in the event of a fire. 

As part of the agreement negotiated by OSHA and the Office of the Solicitor, Jindal Tubular USA will withdraw its challenge to the citations and pay $442,815 in penalties.

The company manufactures and coats large diameter steel pipes at its 155-acre facility in Bay Saint Louis. Incorporated in 2014, the company has more than 400 employees. 

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