OSHA fines Chicago Heights steel company

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Updated: May 6, 2011 9:26AM

A Chicago Heights steel company must pay about $75,000 in penalties for repeated safety violations, a federal agency announced Thursday.

Quinco Steel, 2403 S. Halsted St., was cited for four safety violations after people were observed working at heights without fall protection during a January job site inspection in Chicago, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said.

OSHA said it has conducted inspections at Quinco 14 times since 1999 and previously issued citations for 13 serious, repeat and willful violations related to aerial lift usage and steel erection.

“It is inexcusable to continually fail to protect workers from falls at heights greater than 15 feet, as required by OSHA’s standard for steel erection activities,” Gary Anderson, OSHA’s area director in Calumet City, said in a news release.

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