An aluminum automotive component manufacturer in Sanford was issued numerous health and safety violations last year.
Bharat Forge Aluminum USA, which is located at 777 Kalyani Way on the north side of Sanford between Route 1 and Colon Road, was inspected in late 2023 and early 2024 by the North Carolina Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Division.
The inspections resulted in 13 serious and two “non-serious” violations, according to citations obtained from the Department of Labor. The violations were issued in May 2024.
One of the violations states that the company did not furnish a place of employment free from burn hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious injury.
One incident on Nov. 10, 2023 resulted in an explosion that caused second- and third-degree burns to the right hand, face and leg of an operator of horizontal casting machine.
The employee was transported to UNC Burn Center. The company did not report the incident until three days later, according to a citation.
Water was allowed to collect in a drain bucket during a casting operation and molten aluminum contacted standing water, causing an explosion.
The company was also cited because it did not require employees to wear aluminum coats, gloves, leggings, face shields and neck splash guards as primary personal protective equipment during cast operations, according to several citations.
The company also did not develop, implement or maintain a written hazard communication program in the workplace in regard to chemicals such as Pyrotek Boron Nitride Lubricoat Blue, according to a citation. Such chemicals can cause eye irritants.
On Nov. 30, 2023, an employee received severe burns to a left hand due to an explosion because molten aluminum contacted water that was allowed to collect on the floor and subsequently got on parts being assembled, according to a citation.
Another citation notes that the company did not develop and utilize energy control procedures regarding changing and cleaning an ExactCut Saw machine with electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic energy sources.
As a result, an employee was seriously injured when the machine was restarted during cleaning operations on Jan. 12, 2024, according to a citation.
In that case, an employee was not trained in the recognition of hazardous energy sources, the type and magnitude of energy available in the workplace and the methods and means for energy isolation and control, a citation states.
Proposed penalties for the violations total $206,437.
Bharat Forge is contesting the findings, according to an email from Rose Gray-Shindler, a staffer with the Department of Labor’s OSHA Division.
Bharat Forge began its Sanford operations in 2021, according to lightmetalage.com, and designs, produces and supplies aluminum automotive components for luxury vehicles.
Earlier this year, the company received the “2025 Excellence in Manufacturing Award” from the North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership and Business North Carolina.
Last October, Bharat Forge received the “Large Industry Award” from the Sanford Area Growth Alliance (SAGA).
According to its website, the company also has a location in northeast Tennessee.