Opinion ID: 2973167
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: nas

Text: NAS’s primary business line is steel production. NAS uses furnace equipment during the production process. NAS contracts with other companies to install the equipment. In this case, NAS contracted with SMS Demag to provide and install equipment that would become the melt shop in the Ghent facility. [J.A. 178, 181]. Although melt shop equipment requires routine maintenance, NAS offers no evidence that it contracted with SMS Demag to provide such maintenance. Rather, SMS Demag contracted to provide and install the equipment. Under these circumstances, we cannot say that NAS qualifies as a contractor for purposes of up-the-ladder immunity. This case is distinguishable from Granus because there, the defendant company contracted with the plaintiff’s employer to provide a maintenance service that was performed “periodically.” 821 F.2d at 1257. Here, the installation of the melt shop equipment appears to be a one-time affair. Although the equipment was necessary to NAS’s business, its installation was not a regular or recurrent part of the business. We thus reverse summary judgment for Defendant NAS on the immunity issue.