OSHA cites Dover Chemical Co. for 47 violations following chemical release at Ohio plant, proposes $545,000 in fines

DOVER, Ohio – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Dover Chemical Co. for 47 health and safety – including four willful – violations after an unexpected release of hazardous materials led to the temporary shutdown of the company’s Dover plant and an adjacent highway in May. Although no injuries were reported as a result of the incident, OSHA opened an investigation focused on the agency’s standards for process safety management, known as PSM, at facilities that use highly hazardous chemicals. Proposed fines total $545,000.

The release of materials resulted from a breach of a polyvinyl chloride piping system. Due to the nature of the hazards and the willful violations cited, Dover Chemical has been placed in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which mandates targeted follow-up inspections to ensure compliance with the law.

“By disregarding OSHA’s common-sense regulations, this employer endangered the health and safety of the facility’s workers,” said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health. “While I’m grateful that nobody was injured from the incident, I’m alarmed by the egregious nature of the violations we uncovered during our inspection.”

via 2012 – 11/28/2012 – US Labor Department’s OSHA cites Dover Chemical Co. for 47 violations following chemical release at Ohio plant, proposes $545,000 in fines.