Chemical risks on the job can be one of the worst things for employees to deal with.
Hence that, Diversified CPC International Inc. was recently cited by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 15 serious violations of the process safety management standard at the chemical manufacturer’s Sparta, New Jersey production facility.
The August 2013 inspection was initiated under OSHA’s Process Safety Management Covered Chemical Facilities National Emphasis Program. The company, based in Channahon, Ill., is looking at $73,500 in proposed penalties for exposing workers to hazardous chemical risks.
“Process safety management programs are designed to prevent the catastrophic release of highly hazardous chemicals,” said Kris Hoffman, director of OSHA’s Parsippany Area Office. “Diversified CPC International Inc. failed to implement required programs to protect workers from hazardous chemicals.”
Under OSHA’s process safety management standard, employers are required to develop, implement and update process safety management programs for hazardous chemicals at their facilities.
Most Violations Tied to Potential Hazards
In this case, the majority of violations relate to potential hazards at this company’s facility stemming from the use of liquefied petroleum gases, fluorocarbons and dimethyl ether.
The serious violations include the company’s failure to:
- Develop and implement written procedures for mechanical integrity and operating procedures to conduct activities in each covered process safely.
- Complete a thorough process hazard analysis and emergency action plan.
- Document that equipment met good engineering practice.
- Follow good engineering practices when performing inspections and testing equipment.
- Complete an adequate compliance audit.
- Conduct inspections and tests on equipment.
- Annually certify that operating procedures were current and accurate.
- Establish and implement a system to address previous hazard analysis findings promptly.
- Address the impact of changes to processes, equipment, and/or personnel that are related to working conditions covered by the process safety management standard.
- Complete accurate piping and instrument diagrams.
- Include relief system design and design basis in information pertaining to the equipment.
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.
The company was provided with 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with the OSHA area director in Parsippany, or contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Author Kori Shafer-Stack, Editor, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. is an expert in post-injury response procedures and part of the Amaxx team helping companies reduce their workers compensation costs by 20% to 50%. www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com. Contact: [email protected].
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