A manufacturing company that works with dangerous chemicals faces $192,620 in fines for 46 serious and 17 general safety and health violations. The facility formulates products for agricultural fertilizer, airports, pulp and paper, and water treatment. Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) inspectors found 13 violations relating to confined space entry rules due to workers entering rail car hoppers. The employees went in the hoppers to break up and dislodge ammonium nitrate without appropriate safety precautions.
Inspectors also found employees working on top of rail cars and sulfur trucks without fall protection, failing to ensure the power supply to dangerous equipment was turned off and locked so it couldn’t turn back on.
Additionally, inspectors found the facility lacked site-specific safety programs, including an effective training program, and wasn’t requiring employees to wear respirators while working with hazardous chemicals where respirators were required.
The business has appealed the citation and fines. Here is a breakdown of the citations: