LG Energy Solution—Contractor crushed to death at LG Energy Solution's Michigan battery plant amid repeated lockout/tagout violations
A 34-year-old South Korean contractor, Kim Jung Won, was crushed to death on July 27, 2025 when machinery activated during equipment installation at LG Energy Solution's Holland, Michigan battery plant; MIOSHA found he was caught between the frame and lifting mechanism, consistent with inadequate lockout/tagout control of hazardous energy. The plant had already accumulated roughly two dozen OSHA/MIOSHA cases since 2017, including two willful lockout/tagout violations totaling $140,000 in penalties tied to a prior fatal 2023 accident, and a September 2025 chemical spill that sent 15 workers to the hospital.
Scoring Impact
| Topic | Direction | Relevance | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worker Rights | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Overall incident score = | -0.858 | ||
Score = avg(topic contributions) × significance (high ×1.5) × confidence (0.57)
Evidence (2 signals)
Holland, Michigan LG Energy Solution plant logged more OSHA violations than any comparable regional employer
An OSHA-records review found the Holland, Michigan plant had 22 violations across 27 reports (2016-2025), more than any of nine comparable regional employers (3-21 violations each), with over $327,000 in penalties assessed. A September 2025 chemical spill sent 15 people to the hospital and resulted in a $70,000 lockout/tagout penalty that LG contested in January 2026. A worker, Jaimie Adams, testified to the Holland city council that she suffered an untreated head wound from defective machinery and was denied medical leave.
LG Energy Solution confirms contractor killed during equipment setup at Holland, Michigan plant
LG confirmed that contractor Kim Jung Won, 34, was killed on July 27, 2025 when he became trapped and crushed between a machine's frame and lifting mechanism while installing equipment at the Holland, Michigan facility. MIOSHA records cited in the report show the plant had accumulated 24 OSHA/MIOSHA cases since 2017, including two willful lockout/tagout violations ($140,000 in penalties) tied to a 2023 fatal accident.