A soap and detergent manufacturer faces $161,310 in federal penalties after an OSHA investigation of a chemical gas release that sent a dozen workers to the hospital in July 2024. OSHA initiated an inspection on July 11 after being notified by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and the facility’s operator about an incident involving a release of nitrogen dioxide gas. The release occurred when chemicals reacted during processing. The facility specializes in producing and distributing maintenance, cleaning, and sanitation solutions.
OSHA inspectors determined the company had taken no action to assess the impact of the release immediately and did not swiftly evacuate workers from the building as a precaution. Inspectors discovered that workers were exposed to nitrogen dioxide gas levels exceeding the chemical’s ceiling limit, resulting in 12 employees being evaluated at a local hospital, with two of them requiring hospitalization.
Additionally, inspectors determined that the company had no emergency response plan in place, and that its respiratory protection and hazard communication programs failed to meet federal requirements. OSHA has cited the business for one repeat violation, and nine serious and two other-than-serious violations.
Here is the breakdown of the citations (1910.120, 1910.134)