OSHA has again found a large food manufacturer with a history of hazardous workplace safety practices in violation of dozens of safety and health hazards.
The producer of glass-pack, canned, frozen, refrigerated, freeze-dried, and snack food products under it’s brand, as well as other private labels, also operates eight other manufacturing plants, including five in Pennsylvania and one each in Delaware, New Jersey, and Guatemala.
In October 2023, CSHOs opened an investigation at the Centre Hall plant in response to a complaint alleging hazards involving the company’s handling of highly hazardous chemicals included in it’s Process Safety Management program.
OSHA cited the company for 70 violations, including nine repeat, 51 serious, and 11 other-than-serious violations. The infractions related to numerous Process Safety Management failures, such as lack of training, not correcting equipment deficiencies, failing to document that equipment complied with recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices, and establishing an emergency plan for the entire plant.
The agency has assessed the business with $761,876 in penalties. OSHA cited the company for similar violations at its Clayton, Delaware, facility in 2019 and 2021.