The United States’ workplace safety regulator announced on August 23 that it was investigating a recent chemical solvent leak at a battery facility in Ohio that General Motors and LG Energy Solution of South Korea jointly control.
The joint venture, Ultium Cells LLC, said it had discovered a cathode mixing slurry leak at its Ohio production facility and took immediate action to isolate the cause and contain it.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Ultium reported the leak, and the organization is investigating what went wrong, what the company did, and whether any workers were in danger.
Ultium reported that none of its personnel were in the vicinity, and no one was exposed to the substance or harmed. The “Surrounding area was immediately cleared, and operations were temporarily halted while we assessed and addressed the situation,” it said after the leak was discovered. Additionally, Ultium said that operations fully resumed after it was determined to be safe.
However, the chemical is frequently used in battery production but potentially harms public health.
OSHA reported that there are now five closed and six open inspections at the Ultium Ohio facility. According to OSHA, the corporation has already paid $31,078. Although the Ultium Cells Ohio plant employees firmly chose to join the United Auto Workers (UAW) union in December, an initial contract has yet to be signed.
Ultium stated earlier this month that “during our 6-month collective bargaining process, the UAW has not provided any wage or counter proposals.” In a study published in July, the UAW criticized the Ultium Ohio plant’s health and safety procedures. GM and LG Energy Solution in Tennessee and Michigan are building two additional battery factories.
