On August 21, 2011, Forty-seven (47) employees, 38 from the primary employer and nine (9) from a secondary temporary agency, were sent to hospitals for treatment of respiratory irritation after being exposed to chlorine dioxide released inside a tomato processing plant. Three (3) employees were admitted for further treatment.
The chlorine dioxide release was due to equipment failure:
- pump running safety switch bypassed,and
- clogged flow sensor
The failure by plant and sub-contractor personnel to follow shutdown and restart protocols contributed to the accident.
Also, failure to use engineering controls to detect and alert personnel of the harmful exposures in the northeast corner of the plant as was installed and used in the southeast corner of the plant after a similar incident in 2007, which resulted in the exposure of employees to chlorine dioxide.
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Violation Summary
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serious | Willful | Repeat | Other | Unclass | Total | |
| Initial Violations | 2 | 2 | ||||
| Current Violations | 2 | 2 | ||||
| Initial Penalty | $45,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $45,000 |
| Current Penalty | $45,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $45,000 |
| FTA Amount | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Violation Items | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | ID | Type | Standard | Issuance | Abate | Curr$ | Init$ | Fta$ | Contest | LastEvent |
| 1. | 01001 | Serious |
3328 G – Machinery and equipment in service shall be maintained in a safe operating condition. |
02/14/2012 | 03/19/2012 | $22,500 | $22,500 | $0 | – | |
| 2. | 02001 | Serious |
5141 A – Engineering Controls. Harmful exposures shall be prevented by engineering controls whenever feasible. |
02/14/2012 | 03/19/2012 | $22,500 | $22,500 | $0 | – | |
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