OSHA Fines Korean Construction Firm $20,000 After Georgia Worker’s Death

Following the death of a worker at a Georgia solar systems plant in May, a federal safety agency has cited a construction firm for serious violations. But the fine levied against Hyoungwon E&C America is only about $20,000, an amount that will probably be reduced if the company appeals.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced last week that the plant in White, Georgia, had exposed the worker to nitrogen gas and low levels of oxygen. Marion Jose Rugama, 33, died at a part of the plant site that was still under construction, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. The manufacturer, Hanwha Qcells, was not cited by the agency.

The Hyoungwon construction firm did not comment, but a Qcells spokesperson called the fatality “tragic,” and said the manufacturer has worked with authorities investigating the incident.

OSHA said in a bulletin that the agency had cited Hyoungwon for failing to provide workers with effective information and training on hazards from nitrogen and oxygen-deficient atmospheres. It was not clear what the nitrogen, an odorless gas, was used for at the site, the newspaper reported.

The construction firm has 15 days to comply or contest the OSHA findings.

Photo: A Qcells solar panel plant near Cartersville, Georgia. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)