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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (202) 693-1999
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited a
chemical manufacturing company near Allentown, Pa., for safety violations that
allegedly led to a catastrophic explosion last February. OSHA proposed
penalties of $641,200. The explosion killed five workers, including a father
and son, and injured two others.
OSHA cited Concept Sciences, Inc. (CSI), a specialty chemical
manufacturer, for 20 alleged violations, including 11 willful violations for
failure to protect employees from the explosive potential of hazardous
chemicals. The explosion occurred Feb. 19 at CSI's manufacturing facility in
Hanover Township, Pa. Four of the workers killed were employed by CSI; one
worker from an adjacent business was also killed in the explosion.
"This is precisely why OSHA established standards to prevent
catastrophic incidents involving hazardous chemicals," Secretary of Labor
Alexis M. Herman said. "CSI management was clearly aware of the requirements of
those standards, but failed to take adequate safety measures prior to producing
a chemical known throughout the industry as potentially explosive."
"What's most troubling," added Charles N. Jeffress, OSHA administrator,
"is that CSI management did not provide pertinent information to their
employees on the hazards involved in the production process, or the explosive
nature of the chemical."
CSI employed 21 workers at two locations in the Allentown area.
Employees were involved in the company's first production run of hydroxylamine,
a chemical additive used to produce other chemicals for the microprocessor
industry. OSHA's inspection revealed that the explosion occurred at a
2,500-gallon fiberglass reinforced charge tank containing approximately 750
pounds of the hazardous chemical. The tank was being used in the distillation
process. Pure hydroxylamine has explosive energy roughly equivalent to that of
TNT. The building was completely destroyed by the explosion and has since been
demolished.
Of the 20 violations cited, 11 were alleged willful violations of OSHA's
process safety management (PSM) standard, as well as provisions of the hazard
communication standard. The PSM standard establishes requirements to prevent,
or minimize, the potential for fire or explosion caused by dangerous chemicals,
while hazard communication addresses the potential hazards of chemicals and
establishes procedures to communicate those hazards to employees.
The 11 willful violations, with a total proposed penalty of $616,000,
are composed of various groupings of individual requirements of both standards.
They include: failure to compile process safety information; inadequate process
hazard analysis and operating procedures; failure to train employees on
operating procedures and the physical hazards of chemicals; lack of a
pre-startup safety review; process equipment deficiencies; and failure to
develop mechanical integrity procedures. Provisions of the hazard communication
standard cited as alleged willful violations related to deficiencies in both
employee training and material safety data sheets.
OSHA also issued nine alleged serious violations to CSI, totaling
$25,200, citing the lack of employee participation in a PSM program, failure to
adopt safer work practices, no injury and illness logs for contract employees,
inadequate mechanical maintenance training, deficiencies in chemical hazard
evaluation procedures, and improper labeling of chemical containers.
Willful violations are those committed with an intentional disregard of,
or plain indifference to, the requirements of the Occupational Safety and
Health Act and OSHA regulations. A serious violation is defined as one in which
there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could
result, and the employer knew or should have known of the hazard.
Concept Sciences, Inc. has 15 working days to contest the citations and
proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review
Commission.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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