OSHA Inspection: INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS & FRAGRANCES INC.

Issued

Oct 9, 2015

Abate by

Nov 14, 2015

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

Hazardous substances D740

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act: The employer did not furnish to each of his employees 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 required to perform tasks that exposed them to the hazard of severe lung disease and obstruction of lung airways from inhalation of Diacetyl and/or food flavoring substances containing Diacetyl.     International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc./Dayton, NJ site- Compounding Area: A compounder wearing a half face air purifying respirator and handling diacetyl containing mixture had a 15 minute exposure to diacetyl of 5.8969 parts per million (ppm). The exposure was 294.8 times the ACGIH Short Term Exposure Level (STEL) of 0.020 ppm. An evaluation of this operation/task indicated that employees required to perform this task were exposed to a hazard which caused, or was likely to cause, severe lung disease and obstruction of lung airways.      Condition was observed on or about August 4, 2015.

Issued

Oct 9, 2015

Abate by

Nov 14, 2015

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances D740

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(3)(i)(B)(1): The employer did not select a respirator for employee use that maintained the employee's exposure to the hazardous substance, when measured outside the respirator, at or below the maximum use concentration:    International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc./Dayton, NJ site- Compounding Area: The employer provided a half mask, negative pressure respirator with organic vapor cartridges to employee who was transferring diacetyl containing mixture. OSHA Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) monitoring on August 4, 2015 indicated that employee handling diacetyl containing mixture  was exposed to 5.8969 parts per million (ppm) in a 15 minute period. This was above the Maximum Use Concentration (MUC) for the employee's half mask air purifying respirator which is 10 times the American Conference of Government and Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Short Term Exposure Limit of 0.020 ppm, or 0.2 ppm. The employee was exposed to diacetyl at 29.5 times the MUC of his respirator.                Condition was observed on or about August 4, 2015.