Workers overcome by chemical vapors
Workers overcome by chemical vapors
Even though the workers were not seriously injured or killed, an accident at a manufacturing facility in Dalton, GA, has led the Occupa-tional Safety and Health Administration to cite Textile Rubber and Chemical Company with penalties totaling $201,600.
The company was cited and fined for safety violations found during an investigation prompted by an accident that injured three workers. Tom Brown, OSHA’s Atlanta-West area director, says the accident that spurred the agency’s inspection occurred in September 1999 when three employees were overcome by chemical vapors while working inside a waste treatment tank. The three workers were treated at local hospitals and released.
OSHA’s investigation resulted in proposed penalties totaling $189,000 for three willful violations of confined space safety standards. Those included failure to provide auxiliary self-contained respirators in case an employee’s line respirator malfunctioned; implement a respirator program to ensure that workers had adequate respiratory protection from inhalation hazards in confined spaces; implement safe entry, working and rescue procedures for confined spaces; and provide the necessary equipment for employees to enter and work in confined spaces safely.
One of two additional serious citations noted that the employer failed to monitor confined spaces to assure that the air inside was safe for entry, did not prepare entry permits outlining measures for protecting employees from confined space hazards, and did not regulate employee entry into the space. The other serious violation involved the employer’s failure to train employees about new confined space hazards that resulted from changes in operations. The two serious violations drew penalties totaling $12,600.
"We issue willful citations when there is an intentional disregard for safety requirements," Brown says. "This company knew the serious hazards associated with working in confined spaces but failed to take adequate protective measures. In fact, key management officials at the facility had received extensive and continuing confined space entry safety training since 1992."
Brown says the company also ignored requests from employees for equipment they needed to safely enter and work in confined spaces. Textile Rubber & Chemical employs 190 of its 350 employees at its Dalton corporate headquarters and plant. Latex carpet and rug backings, urethane backings, coatings, and other textile specialties are manufactured at the plant.
Subscribe Now for Access
You have reached your article limit for the month. We hope you found our articles both enjoyable and insightful. For information on new subscriptions, product trials, alternative billing arrangements or group and site discounts please call 800-688-2421. We look forward to having you as a long-term member of the Relias Media community.