Dangerous Chemicals and Other Hazards Leads to Tenneco Fine

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently cited Tenneco Automotive Operating Co. for 20 safety and health violations at its manufacturing plant in Hartwell. Several violations involved hexavalent chromium exposure, which can lead to nose, throat and lung damage. Proposed fines total $90,000, according to information from OSHA.

 

 

"There is ample information alerting employers to the hazards posed by hexavalent chromium. OSHA will not tolerate companies that expose employees to this and other well-known workplace hazards," said Bill Fulcher, director of OSHA's Atlanta-East Area Office. (WCxKit)

 

 

Seventeen serious safety and health violations were cited. Those related to hexavalent chromium include failing to prevent exposure beyond OSHA's authorized limits, not developing a plan to limit exposure, not providing a separate storage area or change area for personal protective equipment used by workers, failing to consult a physician about the chromium exposures, not maintaining an eyewash station, failing to provide clean work surfaces free from chromium accumulations and failing to dispose of waste using a sealed container.

 

 

The remaining serious violations include failing to evaluate and prevent workers entering confined spaces from doing so without required permits, train workers on lockout/tagout procedures, implement a lockout/tagout program for energy sources to prevent machines from accidentally starting up during servicing and maintenance, provide guards on machines and provide a cover to an electrical panel. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

 

 

Three other-than-serious violations involved mounting an outlet, switch box on a structural support column, blocking an electrical disconnect, and failing to require employees to practice entering confined spaces since 2009. An other-than-serious violation is one that has a direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm. No monetary penalties were assessed. (WCxKit)