OSHA Inspection: COBE LABORATORIES, INC.

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Penalty

Initial $560 · Current $560

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The
employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were
free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death
or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to
incompatible chemical storage such as, but not limited to:
a) R & D Lab, located one door West of the Blood Gas Lab:
Perchloric acid (60 - 62%) is stored in a metal storage cabinet along
with acetic anbydride, dioxane, pyridine, and hydrochloric acid.
Accidental mixture of the perchloric acid and one of the other
chemicals could result in exposive detonation and/or fire.
b) Oxygenator Blood Lab: Potassium cyanide is stored in a metal cabinet
along with hydrochloric acid. Accidental mixture of the potassium
cyanide and the hydrochloric acid would result in the release of
hydrogen cynide gas and possible cyanide poisoning of exposed
employees.
One feasible and acceptable abatement method among others to correct
these hazards is to physically separate the chemicals in separate
approved cabinets to prevent accidental contact in the event of
container failure.

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Penalty

Initial $560 · Current $560

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The
%%
employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were
free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death
or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to:
a) Employees were exposed to the hazards of Freon 113 (1,1,2 Trichloro-1
2,2, Trifluoroethane) while performing the sponge dipping operation
in the Sprong Prep room of Cobe Laboratories. The employer did not
provide adequate controls during the sponge dipping operation in
order to control occupational exposure to Freon 113. The employees
were exposed to high levels of Freon 113 thereby subjecting them to
the serious health hazards of cardiac sensitization, cardiac
arrhythmias and central nervous system depression.
a) A sponge dipper was exposed to 2,530 ppm for a period of 70 minutes
while performing the CML sponge dipping process on 9/1/88. This
exposure level is 1,280 ppm greater than or 2.02 times the acceptable
limit. ACGIH'S short term exposure limit (STEL) for 1, 1,2 -
Trichloro 1,2,2-trifluoroethane is 1,280 ppm. Occupational exposure
shall be controlled so that no worker is exposed to STEL,
concentrations greater than 1,250 ppm during the sponge dipping
operations.
A feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard
could be installation of local exhaust ventilation hoods. Slotted hoods
located at the back of the freon dip tanks could draw the vapors across
the tank surface away from the worker's breathing zone.
ABATEMENT NOTE:
ABATEMENT NORMALLY WILL BE MULTI-STEP AS FOLLOWS:
STEP 1: Effective respiratory protection shall be provided and used
by exposed employees as an interim protective measure until
feasible engineering and/or administrative controls can be
implemented or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee
exposure to within permissible exposure limits.
STEP 2: Submit to the Area Director a written detailed plan of abatement
outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/
or administrative measures to control employee exposures to
hazardous substances referenced in this citation. This plan
shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the following
actions which should be consistent with the dates required by
this citation:
a) Evaluation of the extent and location of the hazard source;
b) Evaluation of control measure options;
c) Selection of optimum control measures;
d) Determination of control measure design;
e) Ordering and delivery of equipment and materials;
f) Installation of control measures;
g) Training of employees in proper operation and maintenance of newly
implemented control measures; and
h) Assurance of effective performance of control measures.
All proposed control measures shall be evaluated for each particular
use by a competent Industrial Hygienist or other technically
qualified person. Ninety (90) day progress reports are required
during the abatement period.
STEP 3: Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of
feasible engineering and/or administrative controls and upon
verification of their effectiveness of achieving compliance.

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Penalty

Initial $240 · Current $240

Hazardous substances 1560

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The
%%
employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were
free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death
or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to:
An employee was exposed to the hazards of Isopropyl Alcohol while
performing a loop to channel assembly operation using an open
container of isoproyl alcohol in the Spectra Disposable room of Cobe
Laboratories. The employer did not provide adequate controls during
the assembly operation in order to control occupational exposure to
isopropyl alcohol. The employee was exposed to high levels of
isopropyl alcohol, thereby subjecting the worker to the serious
health hazards of narcosis and pronounced irritation to the eyes,
nose and throat.
a) A loop to channel assembler was exposed to 1,200 ppm for a period of
46 minutes while performing an assembly process using an open
container of isopropyl alcohol on 9/15/88. This exposure level is
700 ppm or 2.4 times the acceptable limit.
ACGIH's short term exposure limit (STEL) for isopropyl alcohol is 500
ppm. Occupational exposure shall be controlled so that no worker is
exposed to STEL concentrations greater than 500 ppm during assembly
operations.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this hazard is to conduct the operation in a laboratory hood.
ABATEMENT NORMALLY WILL BE MULTI-STEP AS FOLLOWS:
STEP 1: Effective respiratory protection shall be provided and used
by exposed employees as an interim protective measure until
feasible engineering and/or administrative controls can be
implemented or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee
exposure to within permissible exposure limits.
STEP 2: Submit to the Area Director a written detailed plan of abatement
outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/
or administrative measures to control employee exposures to
hazardous substances referenced in this citation. The plan shall
include, at a minimum, target dates for the following actions
which should be consistent with the dates required by this
citation:
a) Evaluation of the extent and location of the hazard source;
b) Evaluation of control measure options;
c) Selection of optimum control measures;
d) Determination of control measure design;
e) Ordering the delivery of equipment and materials;
f) Installation of control measures;
g) Training of employees in proper operation and maintenance of newly
implemented control measures; and
h) Assurance of effective performance of control measures.
All proposed control measures shall be evaluated for each particular
use by a competent Industrial Hygienist or other technically
qualified person. Thirty (30) day progress reports are required
during the abatement period.
STEP 3: Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of
feasible engineering and/or administrative controls and upon
verification of their effectiveness of achieving compliance.

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Penalty

Initial $160 · Current $160

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Jan 17, 1989

Penalty

Initial $240 · Current $240

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Mar 10, 1989

Penalty

Initial $400 · Current $400

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Mar 10, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Oct 5, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Feb 27, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Penalty

Initial $240 · Current $240

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Penalty

Initial $320 · Current $320

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Feb 12, 1989

Penalty

Initial $400 · Current $400

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Penalty

Initial $480 · Current $480

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Penalty

Initial $640 · Current $640

Hazardous substances 11901191

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Feb 12, 1989

Penalty

Initial $640 · Current $640

Hazardous substances 11901191

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Hazardous substances 11901191

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Hazardous substances 11911190

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Penalty

Initial $640 · Current $640

Hazardous substances 11901191

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Hazardous substances 11901191

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Feb 12, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Penalty

Initial $480 · Current $480

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989

Issued

Jan 12, 1989

Abate by

Aug 15, 1989