OSHA Inspection: COPLEY MANOR

Issued

Jun 23, 2006

Abate by

Sep 22, 2006

Penalty

Initial $700 · Current $350 Reduced

Hazardous substances 22602085S227

General-duty citation text

Vermont Statute, TITLE 21 Labor : CHAPTER 3. SAFETY : Subchapter 5.
Occupational Safety and
Health :  223. Duties and 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 the hazard of inadvertent mixing of incompatible
chemicals that would
produce exothermic chemical reactions that release hazardous
heats-of-reaction and/or chlorine gas and/or
other halogenated gases.
Location(s): Copley Manor, 577 Washington Highway,  Morrisville,  VT
Violation:
The employer did not ensure that employees were protected from exposure to
the hazard of strong exothermic
reactions that include(s) the offgassing of halogenated gases and related
fire hazards while working in the joint
chemical storage area and laundry room, where provisions were not made for
the
safe separation of
incompatible chemicals, in that, five (5)-gallon, plastic containers of
Sodium Hydroxide (strong base) and
Phosphoric Acid (strong acid) and Sodium Hypochlorite (strong halogenated
base) were stored and
dispensed within 4 feet of each other, on or about 12/27/05 at Copley
Manor in Morrisville, Vermont.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this hazard is to
physically separate the acids and alkalies and halogenated caustic
materials into different areas and to
refrain from stacking containers of incompatible materials on top of each
other and to secure these
buckets inside containment pans or troughs. This administrative change
would eliminate the chance of
inadvertently mixing incompatible materials caused by 1) broken or
accidentally opened bungs on the
containers and/or; 2) broken service tubing exiting the containers and/or;
3) incorrectly emplaced service
tubing filled with an incompatible material and/or; 4) a spill or splatter
accident.

Issued

Jun 23, 2006

Abate by

Jul 27, 2006

Penalty

Initial $700 · Current $400 Reduced

Hazardous substances 22602085

Issued

Jun 23, 2006

Abate by

Jul 27, 2006

Penalty

Initial $700 · Current $350 Reduced

Issued

Jun 23, 2006

Abate by

Jul 27, 2006

Penalty

Initial $700 · Current $350 Reduced

Issued

Jun 23, 2006

Abate by

Jul 27, 2006

Penalty

Initial $700 · Current $400 Reduced

Issued

Jun 23, 2006

Abate by

Jul 27, 2006

Issued

Jun 23, 2006

Abate by

Jul 27, 2006

Issued

Jun 23, 2006

Abate by

Jul 27, 2006

Issued

Jun 23, 2006

Abate by

Jul 27, 2006

Penalty

Initial $700 · Current $350 Reduced

Issued

Jun 23, 2006

Abate by

Jul 27, 2006