December 8, 2015
Dec. 3, 2015
Citations issued: On Dec. 1, 2015, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations for two willful and ten serious violations.
Investigation findings: OSHA initiated an inspection on June 2, 2015, after being notified of an employee injury. Citations were issued for willful violations related to hazards associated with exposure to diacetyl, a chemical linked to respiratory illnesses including organ damage. Serious violations were cited for hazards related to confined space, including failure to evaluate the workplace to determine if any spaces were permit-required confined space and failure to develop and implement a written permit-required space program. Other serious violations included the lack of program procedures related to preventing the sudden startup or movement of equipment during service and maintenance, a procedure known as lockout/tagout; employee exposure to flammable liquids; and exposure to open-sided work platforms without railings.
Proposed penalties: $122,000
Quote: “When employees are exposed to certain airborne flavorings like diacetyl, they are more likely to develop respiratory symptoms such as cough, fatigue, and difficulty breathing with exertion or exercise,” said Patricia Jones, director of OSHA’s Avenel Area Office. “Symrise is putting its employees at risk of long-term, chronic illness by not taking the right steps to provide protection from this hazard. Employers have a legal obligation to ensure workers have a safe and healthy workplace, and will be held accountable when they fail to do so.”
View the citations: https://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/SymriseInc_1068107.pdf* https://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/SymriseInc_1089712.pdf*
Symrise Inc.’s workers’ compensation insurer is MEMIC, located in Portland, Maine.
To ask questions; obtain compliance assistance; file a complaint; or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency’s Avenel Area Office at 732-750-3270.
Related Training DVDs:
Respiratory Protection and Safety Training
Specifically created to involve employees in the process of understanding respiratory hazards and to help facilities in fulfilling OSHA’s Respiratory Standards. View Product
Confined Space Entry Training Video
Provides employees with the information they need to stay safe in Permit Spaces and helps employers stay in compliance with OSHA requirements. View Product
JJ Keller Lockout Tagout Training Video on DVD
Covers types of hazardous energy; energy isolating devices; definitions of “lockout” and “tagout”; requirements for locks and tags. View Product