TL;DR: Public OSHA records and news reports on U.S. battery plant projects show the same hazards again and again: forklifts and loads near people on foot, falls from height, and chemical and fire hazards once production starts. Most of it can be prevented with traffic control, fall protection that gets inspected, and real training. You also have legal rights to report hazards, and if you face retaliation you generally have only 30 days to file a complaint with OSHA.
I recruit for battery, semiconductor and construction projects at Korean-affiliated companies across the U.S. When I talk to safety coordinators, superintendents and technicians about these sites, the same things come up. The schedules are tight. Several tiers of subcontractors share one site. Equipment never stops moving. There are crews who speak English, crews who speak Korean, and crews who speak Spanish. I’m not writing this to blame anyone. I’m writing it because workers died on these projects, and the public records show what went wrong in ways the rest of us can learn from.
Everything below comes from OSHA and Department of Labor records or reputable news coverage, current as of October 2026. Before anything else: these were people with families and coworkers. This article is written with respect for every worker lost on these sites, and for the people who still have to go back to work there.
Case 1: Forklift struck-by on a Georgia battery plant construction site (Bryan County area)
What happened. On March 21, 2025, a worker crossing a road inside a battery plant construction site near Savannah was hit and killed by a forklift. According to OSHA records as reported in December 2025, the forklift was being driven while the operator was on a phone call. The person who was struck had on a dark vest, while the site required a high-visibility vest.
What OSHA found. News coverage in November 2025 said OSHA cited two contractors for exposing employees to struck-by and crushing hazards. One of them was also cited for not making sure forklift operators followed site traffic rules, which included speed limits, spotters, and sounding the horn where the view was blocked. The site’s owner was cited for not submitting required injury and illness records. The final penalties came to about $27,618. The Current reported that the original fines were more than $160,000 and were reduced on appeal.
Hazard type. Struck-by, involving powered industrial trucks. In construction, forklift operator training falls under 29 CFR 1926.602(d), and OSHA says those requirements are identical to the general industry rule in 29 CFR 1910.178(l).
Prevention lessons.
- No phone while moving. Under 1910.178(n)(6), the operator must look in the direction of travel and keep a clear view of the path. A phone call makes that impossible.
- Keep people and machines apart. Use marked walkways, controlled crossings and spotters. Under 1910.178(n)(4), the operator must slow down and sound the horn at cross aisles and anywhere vision is obstructed.
- Be visible. Wear the high-visibility gear the site requires, every day. That includes the short walk across a site road.
- Evaluate operators for real. The rule requires refresher training after unsafe operation, an accident or a near miss, and an operator evaluation at least once every three years.
Case 2: A falling load at the same Georgia site, two months later
What happened. On May 20, 2025, a forklift was loading a truck at the same battery plant construction site when the materials came loose and fell on a worker standing on the ground nearby. That is according to a preliminary sheriff’s report covered by the AJC. ENR reported that the load fell unexpectedly while it was being unloaded and that OSHA was investigating. I could not find a published OSHA outcome for this case, so I’m not going to guess at one.
Hazard type. Struck-by from a falling load, related to material handling with powered industrial trucks.
- Under 1910.178(o)(1), only stable or safely arranged loads may be handled. Strap and band the load and check it before you lift.
- Under 1910.178(m)(2), no one may stand or pass under the elevated portion of a truck, whether it is loaded or empty.
- Set up an exclusion zone around loading and unloading, and have one person direct the lift. If you’re on foot and not part of the task, step back.
- Stay within the truck’s rated capacity, as 1910.178(o)(2) requires. Long or off-center loads like steel, frames and racking need extra care.
Case 3: A fall on the same megasite (2023)
What happened. This one happened before the battery plant work ramped up, on the neighboring vehicle plant structure in the same Bryan County megasite. On April 29, 2023, a subcontractor worker fell about 60 feet after a harness lanyard failed. The Current reported that OSHA cited the employer over a body harness with “notable indicators of damage and deterioration,” and that the fine of roughly $160,000 was reduced on appeal to about $20,000.
Hazard type. A fall from height. Under 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1), workers at an unprotected edge 6 feet or more above a lower level must be protected by guardrails, safety nets or personal fall arrest systems.
- Inspect before every use. Under 1926.502(d)(21), personal fall arrest systems must be inspected before each use for wear, damage and deterioration, and defective parts must be taken out of service.
- Tag out worn gear. Frayed webbing, damaged stitching or a bent snap hook means you stop using it. Ask for a replacement, and don’t let anyone else pick it up.
- Prefer guardrails and nets. Passive protection doesn’t depend on someone making a perfect tie-off at the end of a 12-hour shift.
Case 4: Explosions, fire and a slurry leak at an Ohio battery cell plant
What happened. This was an operating plant, not a construction site. I’m including it because many construction, commissioning and maintenance workers stay on after startup. In March 2023, an explosion and fire at an Ohio battery cell plant led OSHA to open four inspections. According to the Department of Labor news release of October 12, 2023, OSHA also opened an inspection after a June 27, 2023 fire. It looked into an August 20, 2023 pressure gauge failure that let battery slurry leak onto the floor and may have exposed workers to airborne chemicals.
What OSHA found. OSHA cited 19 violations, 17 serious and 2 other-than-serious, with $270,091 in proposed penalties. The citations covered lockout/tagout (energy control) procedures and machine guarding, emergency response training (including for the solvent N-Methylpyrrolidone), hazard communication (training, safety data sheets and labels), PPE and respiratory protection, eyewash stations and emergency showers, safe access for packing employees, and informing workers of their right to report injuries. OSHA also sent a hazard alert letter about metal dust buildup. Local news reported that the employer contested the citations. Contested citations are not final findings.
Hazard type. Chemical and process hazards: solvents, slurry, combustible metal dust, stored energy, and emergency response.
- Learn the chemicals in your area before your first shift. Read the safety data sheet and check that containers are labeled.
- Know where the nearest eyewash station, emergency shower and exit are. Know the alarm you’ll hear and where you’re supposed to muster.
- Use your own lock on lockout/tagout. Never work on equipment because someone told you it’s off.
- If a respirator is required, you need to be fit-tested and trained on it. Wearing the mask isn’t enough.
OSHA’s “Focus Four” construction hazards and how to prevent them
OSHA’s Outreach training groups the leading causes of construction deaths into four hazards. The prevention points below come from OSHA’s Top Four Construction Hazards QuickCard.
| Hazard | Where it shows up on battery plant sites | Prevention (per OSHA) |
|---|---|---|
| Falls | Steel erection, roofing, mezzanines, floor openings | Use personal fall arrest equipment; install and maintain perimeter protection; cover, secure and label floor openings; use ladders and scaffolds safely |
| Struck-by | Forklifts, telehandlers, trucks, falling loads | Never position yourself between moving and fixed objects; wear high-visibility clothing near equipment and vehicles |
| Caught-in/between | Trenches for utilities, equipment pinch points | Never enter an unprotected trench 5 feet or deeper; protect excavations with sloping, shoring, benching or trench shields |
| Electrocution | Temporary power, overhead lines, substation tie-ins | Locate utilities first; watch for overhead lines; ground or double-insulate tools; use GFCIs |
Your rights as a worker (and the 30-day deadline)
Many of the candidates I talk to don’t know they have these rights. That’s especially true for people new to U.S. job sites. You do have them, whatever language you speak and whichever tier of subcontractor employs you.
- Report hazards and injuries. Raising a safety concern with management, asking for safety data sheets and reporting an injury are all protected activities.
- File a complaint with OSHA. You can file online, by phone at 800-321-6742, by mail or in person. Complaints can be made in any language, and you can ask OSHA to keep your name confidential.
- Refuse imminently dangerous work, under narrow conditions. Per OSHA, the right may apply when all of these are true: you asked your employer to fix the danger and they didn’t, you’re acting in good faith, a reasonable person would see a real risk of death or serious injury, and there isn’t time to fix it through normal channels. OSHA advises you to stay on site unless you’re told to leave.
- Protection from retaliation under Section 11(c). If you are fired, demoted or punished for safety activity, you must file a retaliation complaint within 30 days of the retaliatory action. You can file through the online whistleblower form or by phone. Don’t wait.
What’s different at Korean-affiliated battery projects
From the hiring side, here’s what I see on these projects. None of it is a reason to avoid them. It just helps to know going in.
- Many subcontractor tiers. Your direct employer may be three levels removed from the owner. Learn who your site safety contact is on day one.
- Bilingual communication. Toolbox talks, permits and signs may be in English, Korean or both. If you don’t understand a briefing, ask until you do. Bilingual safety staff are in high demand for exactly this reason (see safety jobs at Korean battery and chip plants).
- Ramp-up pressure. Production deadlines usually mean long shifts. Fatigue makes struck-by and fall risks worse.
- Construction and operations overlap. On these projects, construction crews often keep working next to lines that have already started production, where chemical and electrical hazards are live.
Questions to ask before you accept a site role
- Who is my safety contact on site, and do they speak a language I’m comfortable in?
- How are pedestrians and equipment separated? Is there a traffic plan?
- Who provides fall protection gear, and who inspects it?
- Will I get site-specific orientation and equipment evaluation before I operate anything?
- How do I report a near miss, and what happens after I do?
Training that actually covers these hazards
I carry an OSHA 30 card myself, and I’d tell any candidate heading to a battery site to get trained before day one. Here are the courses that line up with the cases above:
- 8-Hour Fall Prevention Training ($90). Covers fall hazards, guardrails and fall arrest.
- Telehandler Safety Training & Certification ($49). Covers the classroom portion of rough-terrain forklift operation. Your employer still has to evaluate you on site.
- OSHA 30-Hour Construction ($159). The full Focus Four and more, with a DOL completion card. Not sure whether you need the 10 or the 30? Read OSHA 10 vs OSHA 30.
If you want to make safety your career, see how to become a construction safety manager, the BCSP certifications guide, and becoming an OSHA 500/510 authorized trainer.
FAQ
Does an OSHA citation mean the company was found guilty?
No. A citation is OSHA’s allegation. Employers can request an informal conference or contest it before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, and penalties are often changed in that process.
Is forklift training in construction different from general industry?
The training requirements are the same. OSHA says 1926.602(d) is identical to 1910.178(l). Operators need training, an evaluation, and a re-evaluation at least every three years.
How long do I have to file a retaliation complaint?
Under Section 11(c) of the OSH Act, you have 30 days from the retaliatory action. Safety and health complaints about hazards themselves should be filed as soon as possible.
Can I file an OSHA complaint in Korean or Spanish?
Yes. OSHA says complaints can be oral or written and made in any language. The online form is available in English and Spanish.
Does an OSHA 30 card make me “OSHA certified”?
No. It’s a completion card for Outreach training. It shows you learned hazard awareness. It doesn’t replace site-specific training or equipment evaluations.
Some links are affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. General information, not legal advice. Facts are from public OSHA/DOL records and news reports as of October 2026. Citations may be contested and are not findings of fault. Sources: DOL news release (Oct 12, 2023), 29 CFR 1910.178, OSHA 11(c) fact sheet, OSHA right to refuse, The Current, ENR.
Study guides and code books on Amazon
Check the edition year before you buy. Exams and job sites go by the current edition.
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926 construction standards book
- Incident investigation and root cause analysis book
- CHST exam study guide
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