Schwartzkopf was the fifth worker killed at the plant in the last three years. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the death.

OSHA cited Granite City Steel for safety violations in 1998 and 1999, including a "willful citation" for failing to correct problems it was aware of in the death of Samuel Burch in 1998.

Janice Barrier, district superintendent for OSHA, downplayed Granite City Steel's responsibility for the high incidence of deaths on the job. "We've had a couple of contractor fatalities, so those are not really under the auspices of Granite City per se. The contractors are responsible for their people," she said.

OSHA fined Granite City Steel a total of $7,000 for safety violations that led to the death of David Jones from an September 8 accident in which he was crushed due to a lack of clearance.

Two blast furnace workers leaving work, who did not give their names, told the Militant they thought overtime was a factor in the most recent death. Mike DeLost, a member of United Steelworkers of America (USWA) Local 16 at Granite City Steel, said, "The company uses blanket safety directives to look like they are doing something about safety. And they say it is always your fault."

Jack Parton, director of USWA District 7, said, "There's a lot of overtime being worked. I just think people who work over eight hours a day--a lot of them work 16 hours, work seven days a week--clearly you're not as alert." The USWA organizes the 3,000 workers at Granite City Steel.

Alyson Kennedy, a member of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees, contributed to this article.  
 
 
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