August 12, 2019
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Security Administration has proposed to revise requirements on the requalification period for certain DOT 4-series specification cylinders in non-corrosive gas service in response to a petition for rulemaking submitted by the National Propane Gas Association. This rulemaking proposes regulatory relief and a reduction in the requalification- related costs for propane marketers, distributors, and others in non- corrosive gas service.Free Amazon HD 10 Tablet with RCRA and DOT Training
Annual training is required by 40 CFR 262.17(a)(7). Learn how to manage your hazardous waste in accordance with the latest state and federal regulations. Learn how to complete EPA’s new electronic hazardous waste manifest, and the more than 60 changes in EPA’s new Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule. Environmental Resource Center’s Hazardous Waste Training is available at nationwide locations, and via live webcasts. If you plan to also attend DOT hazardous materials training, call 800-537-2372 to find out how can get your course materials on a new Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet at no extra charge.Wholesale Produce Supplier Failed to Correct Prior Workplace Hazards
OSHA cited Paris Produce Inc. for failing to correct workplace hazards identified during an August 2017 investigation at the wholesale supplier’s facility in Pleasantville, New Jersey. The company faces $236,089 in penalties.OSHA initiated a follow-up inspection in January 2019, after Paris Produce Inc. failed to respond to citations issued in the 2017 investigation. During the follow-up visit, OSHA inspectors found two failure-to-abate violations for allowing employees to operate forklifts without proper training, and failing to develop and implement a hazard communication program for employees using chemicals for cleaning and sanitation. Inspectors also identified two repeat violations involving blocked exits and failing to train employees on hazardous chemicals.
“By failing to fix previously cited hazards, Paris Produce continues to expose employees to preventable workplace safety and health hazards, which is unacceptable,” said OSHA Area Director Paula Dixon-Roderick, in Marlton, New Jersey.
The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Commission.
Contractors Cited for Employee Exposure to Fall, Other Hazards After Fatality at Port of Wilmington
OSHA has cited two contractors – Enerfab Process Solutions & Fabricated Products Inc. and Industrial Services Group Inc. – for exposing employees to fall hazards after a fatal injury at a Delaware Port of Wilmington worksite in January 2019. The companies face $687,619 in penalties.Employees of Enerfab Process Solutions & Fabricated Products Inc. and Industrial Services Group Inc. – doing business as Universal Blastco - were renovating a 1.5 million gallon above ground storage tank at an orange juice processing facility in Port of Wilmington when a Blastco employee fell 40 feet from a scaffold.
OSHA initiated an investigation after notification of the fatality. The Agency issued willful citations to both companies for hazards involving scaffolding and lack of fall protection; and serious citations for electrical, confined space, and respiratory protection violations.
“Falls continue to be the leading cause of worker fatalities in the construction industry, yet they are preventable when the proper fall protection is utilized,” said OSHA Area Director Erin Patterson, in Wilmington, Delaware. “Employers have a legal responsibility to protect workers from falls, and neither company met their obligations in this case.”
Both companies have 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Enerfab has submitted a Notice of Contest.
Georgia Manufacturer Cited for Amputation, Combustible Dust, and Other Workplace Hazards
OSHA has cited Optima Stantron Corp., a subsidiary of Elma Electronic Inc., for exposing employees to amputation, combustible dust, and other safety and health hazards at the Lawrenceville, Georgia, manufacturing facility. The designer and manufacturer of electronic cabinets faces $161,020 in penalties.OSHA cited the company for lack of machine guarding, failing to develop and implement a hazardous energy control program, allowing combustible dust to accumulate on surfaces, and using improper electrical power systems. Other violations include failing to implement a respiratory protection program, provide refresher training for operators of powered industrial trucks, provide employees with eye, face, and hand protection to prevent exposure to chemicals, and maintain a chemical hazard communication program.
OSHA conducted the inspection in accordance with the National Emphasis Program for Combustible Dust and the Regional Emphasis Program for Powered Industrial Trucks.
“Employers are responsible for continuously protecting their employees from safety and health hazards,” said OSHA Atlanta-East Area Director William Fulcher. “OSHA offers compliance assistance resources and specialists that can help employers identify and correct hazards in their workplaces.”
Mississippi Poultry Processor Fined After Employees Hospitalized for Ammonia Exposure
OSHA has cited Wayne Farms LLC for exposing employees to hazardous chemicals. The poultry processing company in Laurel, Mississippi, faces $119,341 in penalties.On January 27, 2019, 12 employees needed transport to nearby hospitals after a leak caused the release of 2,100 pounds of anhydrous ammonia. OSHA cited the company for failing to provide an operable alarm responsible for indicating the release of hazardous chemicals.
OSHA also cited Wayne Farms for failing to:
- Equip an ammonia refrigeration system with a pressure relief device as referenced by the manufacturer’s operating manual;
- Train technicians to use an alternative over-pressure safety procedure to prevent pipes from rupturing and releasing anhydrous ammonia;
- Perform a management of change procedure to determine the effects of removing safety relief devices from all condensers;
- Make available medical surveillance for response team members exposed to hazardous substances above the permissible exposure limits;
- Inspect Level B respiratory protection equipment; and
- Provide a medical evaluation to determine each employee’s ability to use a respirator.
OSHA conducted the inspection in conjunction with the Regional Emphasis Program for Poultry Processing Facilities and Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals National Emphasis Program.
“When employers fail to properly manage and control highly hazardous chemicals, the potential exists for unintentional releases that can result in serious and fatal injuries,” said OSHA Area Director Courtney Bohannon in Jackson, Mississippi. “OSHA encourages employers to reach out to their local OSHA office for assistance in identifying and mitigating hazards that unnecessarily put their employees in harm’s way. Call 800-321-OSHA to find the local OSHA office.”
Landscaper Cited After Two Employees Succumb to Carbon Monoxide Exposure
OSHA has cited AJR Landscaping Inc. – based in Cresskill, New Jersey – for exposing employees to carbon monoxide (CO) after two workers succumbed to the toxic gas. OSHA initiated an inspection after the Washington Township New Jersey Police Department notified the agency that the workers died from CO exposure after a gasoline-powered lawnmower was started inside an enclosed company trailer that transported the crew to a jobsite. OSHA issued serious citations to AJR for exposing the employees to carbon monoxide, and for failing to train employees to recognize the hazard. The company faces penalties of $17,051.
“Any time there is a gas-powered motor or engine running in an enclosed space, there is risk of exposure to exhaust fumes, which contain carbon monoxide, an odorless and poisonous gas,” said OSHA Area Office Director Lisa Levy, in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey. “This tragedy was preventable if the employer had adhered to basic safety and health practices.”
The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Countertop Manufacturer Cited for Amputation, Silica, and Other Safety and Health Hazards
OSHA has cited Atlanta Kitchen LLC for exposing employees to amputation, silica, and other safety and health hazards at its Decatur, Georgia, manufacturing facility. The countertop manufacturer faces $132,604 in penalties.OSHA cited the company for exposing employees to silica levels over the permissible exposure limit and electric shock hazards; failing to develop and implement written procedures for a hazardous energy control program, conduct monitoring to determine employees’ exposure to silica, and use machine guarding on equipment; blocking emergency exits; and exceeding the noise action level.
Washington eRules Project to Standardize Safety Regulations
In the latest phase of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) eRules project, the Division is reformatting chapter 296-32 WAC, Safety Standards for Telecommunications to provide consistency in format and design and accessibility via mobile electronic devices.
This rulemaking will accomplish the following:
- Consistent format for all DOSH safety and health rules.
- Ability to use the DOSH website for safety and health rules.
- Easy to access rules for smart phone and tablet users.
- Bookmarks in the rules allow easy navigation in PDF files.
- Bullets and dashes are removed and replaced with numbers and letters for easier referencing.
- Enhances rule update efficiency for customers by allowing for faster updates through electronic postings.
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