Texas truck washing company fined $160,000 after worker is killed in confined space

OSHA fined Enterprise Products Transportation Co. $160,000 and cited the company for 32 safety and health violations following a worker fatality at the facility's Freeport, Texas, tank wash operation. OSHA initiated an inspection after receiving a report that a worker had been found, unresponsive, inside a tank trailer that was being prepared to be washed. The employee was removed from the tank trailer by a coworker, but later died. Inspectors cited the company for serious violations for failing to provide the required respiratory protection in a confined space and for not ensuring that chemicals were safely stored.

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Colorado food company and subcontractor fined $300,000 for chemical and other hazards

OSHA cited Meadow Gold Dairies of Englewood, Colo., with 43 violations and subcontractor Tolin Mechanical of Denver with four violations following an inspection conducted under OSHA's Site-Specific Targeting for high hazard work sites, as well as its National Emphasis Program on facilities with hazardous chemicals. Meadow Gold was fined $300,300 for violations that included willfully exposing employees to a potential hazardous release of anhydrous ammonia due to a failure to implement a required mechanical integrity program. The company was also cited with a repeat violation for hazards associated with inadequate procedures for de-energizing equipment (lockout/tagout) prior to performing maintenance activity. Tolin Mechanical was fined $26,000 and cited for failing to properly train employees on emergency procedures and failing to ensure employees had adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

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California fines pharmaceutical company more than $370,000 after one worker is killed and two others seriously injured

California OSHA (Cal/OSHA) issued 11 citations totaling $371,250 to Baxter Healthcare Corporation, doing business as Baxter Bioscience, for deliberate and willful workplace safety violations that resulted in the death of one of their technicians and serious injury of two others. On January 21, a 33-year-old Baxter technician collapsed when he entered a seven-foot-deep, 6,000 liter tank containing nitrogen gas. Air in the tank had been displaced by the nitrogen gas resulting in an oxygen deficient atmosphere. OSHA regulations require employers to have special protective procedures in place prior to employees entering these types of confined spaces. In this case, the employer had not tested the atmosphere prior to entrance to insure there was sufficient oxygen, which led to the technician's death. Cal/OSHA's investigation further revealed that when the technician was discovered, a supervisor ordered two other employees to enter the tank and retrieve him, without testing the atmosphere of the tank or providing proper equipment and other safeguards necessary for a safe rescue. As a result, the two other employees were seriously injured.

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Grain elevator company pleads guilty in teen worker's death

Tempel Grain Elevators LLP pled guilty August 5 to violating OSHA regulations resulting in the death of 17-year-old Cody Rigsby, who suffocated after being engulfed in a grain bin in Haswell, Colo. The company was also sentenced to five years probation. Under a plea agreement with prosecutors, the company must pay Rigsby's family $500,000 for his 2009 death and must pay fines to OSHA. The company must also implement safety provisions that include providing safety training and refresher training to its employees, and developing a procedure that includes harnesses and lanyards or similar safety equipment in anticipation of bin entry at any of its grain elevators. If Tempel Grain violates any of the terms or conditions of probation they would be potentially liable for up to another $500,000 fine.

"This is a terrible tragedy that should never have happened," said OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels. "We are pleased to reach this agreement. Money won't bring back this young man's life, but we can make every effort to ensure that these terrible tragedies don't happen again. We will use any means--from tough enforcement to aggressive outreach efforts--to put this industry on notice that we will not tolerate risking workers lives in hazardous situations that are entirely preventable."

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