The US metal industry may be facing a tough couple of months after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that it would be getting tough on companies that failed to comply to its health and safety standards, which means that metal plants that extract and refine iron, lead, nickel and similar metals will have to face inspections to ensure that they comply with hazard guidelines.

An OSHA defence lawyer, Joseph P. Paranac, Jr, commented “This extraordinary level of scrutiny comes in the wake of what OSHA has described as serious and frequent safety problems in the sector. OSHA’s National Emphasis Program for the Primary Metals Industries will be a big change for employers.”

The inspections program will focus on groups that make nails, pipes wires and cables in addition to other manufacturers.

Paranac continues “Simply put, it means they will be seeing a lot of OSHA. Even if the first inspection goes off without a hitch, employers can count on at least two follow-ups each year. And we are not talking about slaps on the wrist here: The Obama administration’s OSHA offices have been steadily ramping up penalties.

“Employers that brazenly fail to prepare for these inspections will likely face substantial penalties,” Paranac notes. “Even relatively safe shops that make a few compliance slipups could be hit with a $50,000 fine.”