U.S. EPA has reached a settlement with a food processing plant and its cold storage warehouse, under which the company paid a $1.1 million civil penalty. The company violated federal Clean Air Act (CAA) chemical safety requirements. These violations involve the safe handling of anhydrous ammonia, a hazardous chemical used for cooling and refrigeration. This enforcement action follows a chemical release at the food processing facility on December 19, 2022. While contractors were working near refrigeration machinery, anhydrous ammonia was accidentally released, resulting in one contractor being killed and another badly injured. EPA inspected the facilities and reviewed the company’s risk management program, finding that the company had not met several of the CAA’s accident prevention requirements.
EPA also found that the company did not quickly report the December 2022 release and another ammonia release in 2024 to the proper federal officials. Since the accident, the company has made significant safety improvements at both facilities.
OSHA originally issued 22 citations for PSM, EAP, HAZWOPER, First Aid, and Employee Alarm Systems totaling $281K (but reduced to $104K.
| Violations/Penalties | Serious | Willful | Repeat | Other | Unclass | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Violations | 21 | 1 | 22 | |||
| Current Violations | 7 | 1 | 8 | |||
| Initial Penalty | $279,702 | $0 | $0 | $1,378 | $0 | $281,080 |
| Current Penalty | $93,353 | $0 | $0 | $11,378 | $0 | $104,731 |
| FTA Penalty | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| # | Citation ID | Citaton Type | Standard Cited | Issuance Date | Abatement Due Date | Current Penalty | Initial Penalty | FTA Penalty | Contest | Latest Event | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 01001 | Serious | 19100119 C02 | 06/16/2023 | 08/08/2023 | $0 | $12,278 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 2. | 01002 | Serious | 19100119 D03 II | 06/16/2023 | 08/08/2023 | $0 | $15,625 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 3. | 01003 | Serious | 19100119 F01 I D | 06/16/2023 | 12/31/2024 | $12,278 | $12,278 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | P – Petition to Mod Abatement | |
| 4. | 01004 | Serious | 19100119 F04 | 06/16/2023 | 12/31/2024 | $12,278 | $12,278 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement | |
| 5. | 01005 | Serious | 19100119 H02 I | 06/16/2023 | 08/08/2023 | $0 | $12,278 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 6. | 01006 | Serious | 19100119 H02 II | 06/16/2023 | 08/08/2023 | $0 | $15,625 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 7. | 01007 | Serious | 19100119 H02 III | 06/16/2023 | 08/08/2023 | $0 | $15,625 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 8. | 01008 | Serious | 19100119 H02 IV | 06/16/2023 | 08/08/2023 | $0 | $15,625 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 9. | 01009 | Serious | 19100119 H02 V | 06/16/2023 | 08/08/2023 | $15,625 | $15,625 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement | |
| 10. | 01010 | Serious | 19100119 J04 II | 06/16/2023 | 08/08/2023 | $15,625 | $15,625 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement | |
| 11. | 01011 | Serious | 19100119 J04 III | 06/16/2023 | 08/08/2023 | $0 | $15,625 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 12. | 01012 | Serious | 19100119 J06 II | 06/16/2023 | 08/08/2023 | $0 | $12,278 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 13. | 01013 | Serious | 19100119 L01 | 06/16/2023 | 08/08/2023 | $0 | $15,625 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 14. | 01014 | Serious | 19100119 L03 | 06/16/2023 | 08/08/2023 | $0 | $12,278 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 15. | 01015 | Serious | 19100119 L05 | 06/16/2023 | 08/08/2023 | $0 | $12,278 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 16. | 01016 | Serious | 19100119 M05 | 06/16/2023 | 08/08/2023 | $0 | $12,278 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 17. | 01017 | Serious | 19100119 M06 | 06/16/2023 | 08/08/2023 | $0 | $12,278 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 18. | 01018 | Serious | 19100038 C03 | 06/16/2023 | 08/08/2023 | $12,278 | $12,278 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | P – Petition to Mod Abatement | |
| 19. | 01019 | Serious | 19100120 Q06 II | 06/16/2023 | 08/08/2023 | $0 | $12,278 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
| 20. | 01020 | Serious | 19100151 C | 06/16/2023 | $12,991 | $7,366 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement | ||
| 21. | 01021 | Serious | 19100165 B01 | 06/16/2023 | 08/08/2023 | $12,278 | $12,278 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement | |
| 22. | 02001 | Other | 19100119 D03 I E | 06/16/2023 | 08/08/2023 | $11,378 | $1,378 | $0 | 07/10/2023 | F – Formal Settlement |