OSHA Inspection: HARCROS CHEMICALS INC.

Issued

Apr 19, 2017

Abate by

Jun 6, 2017

Penalty

Initial $12,675 · Current $6,338 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3)(iii): Employee training did not include the measures employees can take to protect themselves from chemical hazards, including specific procedures the employer had implemented to protect employees from exposure to hazardous chemicals, such as appropriate work practices, emergency procedures and personal protective equipment to be used:  The employer is failing to ensure employees are not exposed to the hazards of chemical exposure due to lack of training.  This was most recently documented on October 21, 2016, at the MGPI facility located at 1200 Gasoline Alley, where an employee of Harcros Chemicals Inc. had not been trained on the appropriate work practices, emergency procedures, and protective equipment to be used.  An employee of Harcros Chemicals Inc. was unloading sulfuric acid tanker #610 into the Specialty Starch building tank farm storage tank.  The tanker transfer hose was connected to the wrong transfer piping portal at the unloading station which allowed the sulfuric acid from the tanker to enter a tank containing Sodium Hydrochloride resulting in a chemical reaction.  The resulting hazardous mixture vented to the atmosphere.  The ensuing vapor cloud engulfed the employee, the Specialty Starch building, and spread into the town of Atchison, Kansas.  The employee had not been trained on the appropriate actions to take to prevent cross contamination of chemicals while unloading (work practices) as well as emergency procedures to follow in the event of a chemical release.