DANVILLE (WSLS 10) - The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry's Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) program announced a joint comprehensive settlement agreement with The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (Goodyear) and the United Steelworkers (USW) with respect to the Department's investigations of four fatal accidents that occurred at Goodyear's Danville Plant over a one -year period.
The agreement provides for a total of $1.75 million in penalties, $1 million of which will be paid by Goodyear to the Commonwealth. The agreement lays out an orderly process for the elimination of the numerous workplace hazards identified during the eleven VOSH inspections conducted over the last eighteen months.
In October 2016, the plant was fined as a result of multiple months-long state safety investigations.
SEE A COPY OF THE PRE-CITATION SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
Those investigations began in April 2016 after the second death at the plant that year. A third employee died in August, marking the fourth employee death at the plant in 12 months. An employee died on the job in August of 2015.
"It's impacted everybody at this plant," Greg Kerr the plant manager emphasized at a breakfast in November, "but I see it as a pivotal turning point for the plant where we can focus on our safety systems, our people and our products."
The agreement also includes a substantial commitment from all parties to assist the Goodyear Danville Plant towards achieving its goal of becoming a national leader in occupational safety and health by successfully completing the application process for membership in the Virginia Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). Goodyear will be able to retain up to $750,000 in penalties for use at the Danville Plant to abate hazards identified during the VOSH inspections and to assist the Danville Plant in its efforts to meet the challenging requirements of the Virginia VPP to make its safety and health management systems among the best in the United States.
"We were all deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life at the Goodyear Danville Plant and for the families and co-workers involved. I can think of no better tribute to those who lost their lives and those who continue to work at the plant than to take the combined resources and efforts of the Department, Goodyear and the United Steelworkers to turn the Goodyear Danville Plant into one of the safest and healthiest places to work in the country", said Commissioner C. Ray Davenport.
VIEW COPIES OF THE CITATIONS ISSUED IN THE GOODYEAR CASES
"Goodyear is committed to working in partnership with the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United Steelworkers to continually identify hazards and improve the safety of our Danville plant, with the goal of acceptance in the Commonwealth's Voluntary Protection Program," said Greg Kerr, plant manager, Goodyear Danville. "On a personal note, having been recently named Danville's plant manager, I want to assure the Danville community and all my coworkers that nothing is more important to me or Goodyear than the safety of our associates."
"The USW continues to mourn for our fallen sister and brothers, but we also recognize that health & safety conditions at the Danville plant have improved and will continue to do so. Much of the improvement is a direct result of the involvement of the union working with Goodyear and VOSH during the investigations and during the settlement process." - Thomas M. Conway, International Vice President (Administration), United Steelworkers (USW)
"USW Local Union 831L is pleased that this process has concluded with a very positive settlement agreement that will benefit all of us working at the Danville Goodyear plant now and in the future. While nothing will replace our sister and brothers who were fatally injured, the elements of the settlement agreement between VOSH and Goodyear will greatly improve safety at the Danville plant." -Danny Barber, President, USW Local Union 831L
Commissioner Davenport further noted that "It is anticipated that the VPP application process may take as long as five years and represents a significant commitment by Goodyear to the Commonwealth. The agreement also provides that Goodyear will host in the Danville metropolitan area three important VPP Best Practices Day training sessions for hundreds of employers from around the state during 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Goodyear's Danville facility covers 56 acres and employs approximately 2,200 workers. The plant manufactures aviation and specialty tires, and operates on three shifts. Employees at the plant are represented by Local 831 of the United Steelworkers.