U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA proposes more than $1.2 million penalty for chemical company

[Omaha Steve]

http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/02-25-2009/0004978668&EDATE=

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited St. Louis, Mo.-based G.S. Robins & Co., doing business as Ro-Corp Inc., for alleged willful, repeat and serious violations of federal workplace safety standards, proposing more than $1.2 million in penalties for numerous violations relating to the handling of hazardous chemicals at the company's facility in East St. Louis.

OSHA began an inspection at the East St. Louis site after learning that employees had been admitted to several local hospitals after being contaminated with an unknown powder. The eight hospitalized individuals, OSHA later learned, were exposed to the chemical para-nitroaniline (PNA), a poison that causes methemoglobinemia, resulting in the reduction of the blood's ability to transport oxygen. The employees had been performing a chemical transfer operation at the East St. Louis worksite when chemical dust was released, settling on work surfaces and the employees.

"There are means available to safely handle deadly chemicals such as this, and those means were ignored," said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Donald G. Shalhoub. "Those who ignore safe practices and OSHA regulations are inviting tragedy into the lives of their employees and their families, and this cannot be tolerated."

PNA is highly toxic and can be fatal if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. All the employees exposed showed ill effects from their exposure and recovered after treatment.

FULL story at link.