| Cover | 12 Months Ended |
| Dec. 31, 2022 | |
| Document Information [Line Items] | |
| Document Type | DEF 14A |
| Amendment Flag | false |
| Entity Information [Line Items] | |
| Entity Registrant Name | OLYMPIC STEEL, INC. |
| Entity Central Index Key | 0000917470 |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure | 12 Months Ended | ||
| Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Pay vs Performance [Table Text Block] | PAY VERSUS PERFORMANCE Average Summary Average Value of Initial Fixed $100 Investment Based On: Company Selected Measure Year Summary Compensation Table Total for PEO Compensation Actually Paid to PEO Compensation Table Total for for Non-PEO Named Executive Officers Compensation Actually Paid to Non-PEO Named Executive Officers Total Shareholder Return Peer Group Total Shareholder Return Net Income (in thousands) EBITDA (in thousands) RONA (a) (b) (c)(1)(2) (d) (e)(1)(2) (f)(3) (g)(3) (h) (i)(4) (j) 2022 3,432,069 4,379,251 1,556,154 1,728,265 $ 192 $ 170 $ 90,931 $ 154,388 16.7 % 2021 3,607,608 4,159,676 1,609,146 1,732,948 $ 132 $ 146 $ 121,051 $ 214,632 28.2 % 2020 898,789 649,625 549,256 423,072 $ 75 $ 108 $ (5,595 ) $ 18,546 3.6 % (1) Richard T. Marabito served as our principal executive officer (“PEO”) for the full year of each of 2022, 2021 and 2020. Our non-PEO named executive officers (“NEOs”) included Michael D. Siegal, Andrew S. Greiff, Richard A. Manson and Lisa K. Christen for the full year of each of 2022, 2021 and 2020. | ||
| PEO Total Compensation Amount | $ 3,432,069 | $ 3,607,608 | $ 898,789 |
| PEO Actually Paid Compensation Amount | $ 4,379,251 | 4,159,676 | 649,625 |
| Adjustment To PEO Compensation, Footnote [Text Block] | (2) For each of 2022, 2021 and 2020, the values included in the column for the compensation actually paid to our PEO and the average compensation actually paid to our Non-PEO NEOs reflect the following adjustments to the values included in column (b) and column (d), respectively: Richard T. Marabito 2022 2021 2020 Summary Compensation Table Total for PEO (column (b)) $ 3,432,069 $ 3,607,608 $ 898,789 - aggregate change in actuarial present value of pension benefits - - - + service cost of pension benefits - - - + prior service cost of pension benefits - - - - SCT "Stock Awards" column value (517,000 ) - - - SCT "Option Awards" column value - - - + year-end fair value of equity awards granted in the covered year that are outstanding and unvested as of the covered year-end 923,450 - - +/- year-over-year change in fair value of equity awards granted in prior years that are outstanding and unvested as of the covered year-end 540,732 545,559 (249,164 ) + vesting date fair value of equity awards granted and vested in the covered year - - - +/- year-over-year change in fair value of equity awards granted in prior years that vested in the covered year-end - 6,509 - - fair value as of prior-year end of equity awards granted in prior years that failed to vest in the covered year - - - + dollar value of dividends/earnings paid on equity awards in the covered year - - - Compensation Actually Paid to PEO (column (c)) $ 4,379,251 $ 4,159,676 $ 649,625 | ||
| Non-PEO NEO Average Total Compensation Amount | $ 1,556,154 | 1,609,146 | 549,256 |
| Non-PEO NEO Average Compensation Actually Paid Amount | $ 1,728,265 | 1,732,948 | 423,072 |
| Adjustment to Non-PEO NEO Compensation Footnote [Text Block] | Non PEO Named Executive Officers 2022 2021 2020 Summary Compensation Table Total for Non PEO NEOs (column (d)) $ 1,556,154 $ 1,609,146 $ 549,256 - aggregate change in actuarial present value of pension benefits - - - + service cost of pension benefits - - - + prior service cost of pension benefits - - - - SCT "Stock Awards" column value (110,750 ) - (70,309 ) - SCT "Option Awards" column value - - - + year-end fair value of equity awards granted in the covered year that are outstanding and unvested as of the covered year-end 191,032 - - +/- year-over-year change in fair value of equity awards granted in prior years that are outstanding and unvested as of the covered year-end 89,508 92,649 (55,875 ) + vesting date fair value of equity awards granted and vested in the covered year - - - +/- year-over-year change in fair value of equity awards granted in prior years that vested in the covered year-end 2,321 31,153 - fair value as of prior-year end of equity awards granted in prior years that failed to vest in the covered year + dollar value of dividends/earnings paid on equity awards in the covered year Compensation Actually Paid to Non PEO NEOs (column (e)) $ 1,728,265 $ 1,732,948 $ 423,072 (3) For each of 2022, 2021 and 2020, total shareholder return for the Company and the peer group was calculated the cumulative total shareholder return based on a deemed fixed investment of $100 at market close on December 31, 2019. The cumulative total shareholder return includes the cumulative amount of dividends for the period from December 31, 2019 through and including the last day of the covered fiscal year (the “Measurement Period”), assuming dividend reinvestment. For purposes of this pay versus performance disclosure, our peer group consists of the following entities, which we use as our peer group for purposes of the performance graph in the annual report: Worthington Industries (WOR), Ryerson Holding Corp. (RYI), Friedman Industries (FRD), Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. (RS) and Russel Metals, Inc. (RUSMF) (the “Peer Group”). For purposes of calculating the Peer Group total shareholder return, the returns of each component issuer of the group were weighted according to the respective issuers’ stock market capitalization at the beginning of the measurement period. Because fiscal years are presented in the table in reverse chronological order (from top to bottom), the table should be read from the bottom to top for purposes of understanding cumulative returns over time. (4) Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (“EBITDA”) (computed without respect to any Last-In-First-Out (“LIFO”) inventory adjustments) is used to calculate the incentives for our most senior executive officers. (5) Return on Net Assets (“RONA”) is calculated as EBITDA divided by Average Accounts Receivable, Inventory and Property Plant and Equipment. | ||
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Total Shareholder Return [Text Block] | Pay Versus Performance Relationship Descriptions The following graphs provide descriptions of the relationships between certain figures included in the Pay Versus Performance table for each of 2022, 2021 and 2020, including: (a) a comparison between our cumulative total shareholder return and the cumulative total shareholder return of our Peer Group; and (b) comparisons between (i) the compensation actually paid to the PEO and the average compensation actually paid to our non-PEO NEOs and (ii) each of the performance measures set forth in columns (f), (h), (i) and (j) of the Pay Versus Performance table. For more information on how out compensation is designed to link pay and performance, see the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” section. | ||
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Net Income [Text Block] | |||
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Company Selected Measure [Text Block] | (a) During 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant reduction in the Company’s EBITDA. Under the terms of the Senior Management Cash Incentive Plan, the named executive officers would not have received a payment under the Senior Manager Cash Incentive Plan in 2020, as the Company’s EBITDA did not exceed 5% of average accounts receivable, inventory and fixed assets. Recognizing the extraordinary efforts of the named executive officers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and their willingness to forego salary and participation in certain benefit plans during 2020, and to encourage EBITDA generation during the second half of 2020, the Board modified the terms of the Senior Manager Cash Incentive Plan for named executive officers, for 2020 only. The modification provided for the prorated calculation of incentives based on the EBITDA generated from July 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. On an annualized basis, the EBITDA earned during the second half of 2020 exceeded 5% of the average accounts receivable, inventory and fixed assets. | ||
| Tabular List [Table Text Block] | The following table lists all of the financial performance measures that we use to link the compensation actually paid to our NEOs for fiscal 2022 to Company performance: EBITDA Return on Net Assets | ||
| Total Shareholder Return Amount | $ 192 | 132 | 75 |
| Peer Group Total Shareholder Return Amount | 170 | 146 | 108 |
| Net Income (Loss) | $ 90,931,000 | $ 121,051,000 | $ (5,595,000) |
| Company Selected Measure Amount | 154,388,000 | 214,632,000 | 18,546,000 |
| Measure [Axis]: 1 | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Measure Name | EBITDA | ||
| Measure [Axis]: 2 | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Other Performance Measure Amount | 0.167 | 0.282 | 0.036 |
| Measure Name | Return on Net Assets | ||
| PEO aggregate change in actuarial present value of pension benefits [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
| PEO service cost of pension benefits [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PEO prior service cost of pension benefits [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PEO SCT "Stock Awards" column value [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (517,000) | 0 | 0 |
| PEO SCT "Option Awards" column value [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PEO year-end fair value of equity awards granted in the covered year that are outstanding and unvested as of the covered year-end [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 923,450 | 0 | 0 |
| PEO year-over-year change in fair value of equity awards granted in prior years that are outstanding and unvested as of the covered year-end [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 540,732 | 545,559 | (249,164) |
| PEO vesting date fair value of equity awards granted and vested in the covered year [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PEO year-over-year change in fair value of equity awards granted in prior years that vested in the covered year-end [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 6,509 | 0 |
| PEO fair value as of prior-year end of equity awards granted in prior years that failed to vest in the covered year [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PEO dollar value of dividends/earnings paid on equity awards in the covered year [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NEO aggregate change in actuarial present value of pension benefits [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NEO service cost of pension benefits [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NEO prior service cost of pension benefits [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NEO SCT "Stock Awards" column value [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (110,750) | 0 | (70,309) |
| NEO SCT "Option Awards" column value [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NEO year-end fair value of equity awards granted in the covered year that are outstanding and unvested as of the covered year-end [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 191,032 | 0 | 0 |
| NEO year-over-year change in fair value of equity awards granted in prior years that are outstanding and unvested as of the covered year-end [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 89,508 | 92,649 | (55,875) |
| NEO vesting date fair value of equity awards granted and vested in the covered year [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | $ 0 |
| NEO year-over-year change in fair value of equity awards granted in prior years that vested in the covered year-end [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | $ 2,321 | $ 31,153 | |
