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Lack of Safety Plans at East Point, Ga., Firm Factor
in Workers' Exposure to Ammonia; OSHA Proposes $57,200 in Penalties
The U. S. Department of Labor's Occupational
Safety and Health Administration today issued 15 serious citations to
Reddy Ice of East Point and proposed $57,200 in total penalties following
the agency's investigation of a ammonia release that sent four
workers to the hospital.
On the day of the incident, employees at the ice manufacturing facility
had finished changing electrical controls on a compressor and were in the
process of restarting the motor when a buildup of pressure in the
compressor caused a valve to rupture, blowing metal parts and ammonia into
the air.
"This accident could have been avoided if the company had followed
requirements of the process safety management standard and conducted a
safety review before making modifications to the compressor," said Andre
Richards, OSHA's Atlanta-West area director.
In 1992, OSHA issued the standard to protect employees from the hazards
associated with certain chemicals, such as ammonia. This regulation
requires companies to develop, implement, and update plans analyzing
potential risks, outline procedures to minimize those factors and properly
train employees on how to avoid exposure.
OSHA cited the company for failing to have an emergency action plan;
failing to conduct a safety review before beginning modifications to
equipment and failing to have an air pressure gauge on the compressed air
receiver. The company was also cited for failing to have written programs
for process safety management, respiratory protection, confined space
entry and hazard communication. All of these programs require that
employees receive appropriate training.
A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that
death or serious physical harm could result and the employer knew or
should have known of the hazard.
Failure to Abate Safety Hazards
Brings Additional
OSHA Penalties to Delray Beach Company
The Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and
Health Administration has cited J.T.S. Woodworking, Inc. for failing to
correct safety hazards identified during a September inspection of the
company's Delray Beach facility. The agency is proposing additional
penalties of $27,800.
During a Sept. 10 inspection of the custom-made wood cabinetry shop, OSHA
found employees in the finishing section exposed to hazards from paint and
lacquer vapors; improperly stored flammable materials, and an excessive
accumulation of paint in the spray booths. The agency issued six serious
citations with proposed penalties totaling $7,250.
On Dec.17, after the company failed to respond to agency inquiries for
documentation verifying that the hazardous conditions had been corrected,
a follow-up inspection was conducted. Investigators found three
uncorrected hazards; three hazards that had been allowed to re-occur, and
a new electrical hazard.
"This company was given adequate time to correct hazardous conditions
cited in September, but did little or nothing to improve plant safety,"
said Luis Santiago, OSHA's Ft. Lauderdale area director. "OSHA's primary
purpose in citing a company is to protect workers by correcting hazards
that could cause future accidents or injuries."
The agency cited the company, and proposed $17,000 in penalties, for
failure to abate cited hazards that exposed employees to harmful fumes
because they were not properly fitted and instructed in the use of
respirators, and for hazards associated with the build-up of paint,
lacquer and debris in spray booths. The company also continued to have no
hazard communication program to provide information to workers about
potentially dangerous substances in their work place.
Three repeat citations were issued for hazards that had been allowed to
re-occur: containers used to transfer flammable liquids were not properly
connected or grounded and were stored near electrical panels, a potential
ignition source. Penalties totaling $8,400 were proposed for the repeat
violations, which OSHA may charge when an employer has been cited
previously for a substantially similar condition.
Also, during the follow-up inspection, employees were observed using
handheld electrical tools with frayed and damaged cords, for which OSHA
issued a serious citation with a proposed penalty of $2,000.
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