Shipyard company cited over Great Lakes cargo ship fire
- October 10, 2025
- Posted by: Web workers
- Category: Workers Comp
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Monday that it cited a shipyard company after workers were exposed to fire and asphyxiation hazards while working aboard a docked Great Lakes iron ore carrier.
OSHA cited Westlake, Ohio-based South Marine Systems LLC for 15 “serious” violations and one “other-than-serious” violation and proposed $164,540 in penalties after it “narrowly avoided disaster after a large fire erupted as (workers) welded off paint in a cargo hold” of the Cuyahoga, according to an OSHA news release.
The incident occurred in March at the port of Ashtabula. The Cuyahoga is owned by Lower Lakes Towing Ltd.
OSHA said South Marine failed to designate a “competent person” to identify hazards and failed to have a marine chemist onboard to test for hazardous atmospheres before the welding work commenced.
The agency ordered South Marine to review its training program and work operations to ensure work crews recognize hazards and safely respond to emergencies.
South Marine has 15 business days to contest the citation and proposed penalties.
