OSHA Inspection: OLD BRIDGE CHEMICALS, INC.

Issued

Nov 29, 2018

Penalty

Initial $11,641 · Current $9,895 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1)(i): The employer did not select and have each affected employee use, the types of personal protective equipment that would protect the affected employee(s) from the hazards identified in the hazard assessment:    a) Old Bridge Chemical, Inc./Old Bridge, NJ -Throughout the Plant: The employer did not select and require employees to use the types of personal protective equipment that would protect the affected employee from the hazards present while performing their assigned duties. Employees working in the Copper and Zinc area are exposed to splashes with hot steam and acid. Employee working on and around Digester #7 and Digester #8 was splashed with hot copper sulfate solution and suffered burns.     Incident occurred on June 3, 2018.

Issued

Nov 29, 2018

Abate by

Dec 26, 2018

Penalty

Initial $11,641 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.133(a)(1): Protective face equipment was not required where there was a reasonable probability of injury that could be prevented by such equipment:    a) Old Bridge Chemical, Inc./Old Bridge, NJ -Throughout the Plant: The employer did not ensure that each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors. Employees such as but not limited to maintenance workers, equipment operators (digester), and helpers working in the Copper and Zinc area are wearing safety glasses which do not provide adequate protection. Exposing employees to:  - Flying particles/dust during shoveling and addition of copper.  - Sulfuric acid splashes during the addition process or during the maintenance operations.  - Hot liquid chemicals such as copper sulfate while digester is used and when copper is added, during sampling, and when unclogging process is conducted.     Condition noted on or about June 5, 2018.

Issued

Nov 29, 2018

Abate by

Dec 26, 2018

Penalty

Initial $11,641 · Current $9,895 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(2): The employer did not inform exposed employees, by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means, of the existence and location of and the danger posed by the permit spaces:    a) Old Bridge Chemical, Inc./Old Bridge, NJ -Throughout the Plant: The Employer did not post signs in order to inform employees of the existence, location, and the danger posed by the permit spaces present on site such as, but not limited to Zinc and Copper storage tanks, reactors, and digesters.    Condition noted on or about June 5, 2018.    NOTE: A sign reading DANGER-PERMIT-REQUIRED CONFINED SPACE, DO NOT ENTER or using other similar language would satisfy the requirement for a sign.

Issued

Nov 29, 2018

Abate by

Dec 26, 2018

Penalty

Initial $11,641 · Current $9,895 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(d)(9): The employer did not develop and implement procedures for summoning rescue and emergency services, for rescuing entrants from permit spaces, for providing necessary emergency services to rescued employees:    a) Old Bridge Chemical, Inc./Old Bridge, NJ -Throughout the Plant: The Employer did not ensure that Confined Space Entry Program addresses rescue and emergency services to be summoned, the means for summoning those services, and procedures to be used to rescue the entrants from permit spaces. Employees were required to perform work and were authorized to enter permit required confined spaces such as but not limited to Zinc and Copper tanks and reactors.     Condition noted on or about June 5, 2018.

Issued

Nov 29, 2018

Abate by

Dec 26, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(f)(11): The entry permit that documented compliance and authorized entry to a permit space did not identify the rescue and emergency services to be summoned and the means for summoning those services:  a) Old Bridge Chemical, Inc./Old Bridge, NJ -Throughout the Plant: The Employer did not ensure that the tank entry permit identified the rescue and emergency services to be summoned, and the means for summoning those services during the time of the work conducted in the permit required confined space. Employees were required to perform work and were authorized to enter permit required confined spaces such as but not limited to Zinc and Copper tanks and reactors.   Condition noted on or about June 5, 2018.

Issued

Nov 29, 2018

Abate by

Dec 26, 2018

Penalty

Initial $11,641 · Current $9,895 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(g)(1): The employer did not provide training so that all employees whose work was regulated by 29 CFR 1910.146 (permit required confined spaces) acquired the understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary for the safe performance of the duties assigned under 29 CFR 1910.146:    a) Old Bridge Chemical, Inc./Old Bridge, NJ -Throughout the Plant: The Employer did not ensure that all employees acquired the understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary for the safe performance of the duties assigned to them including but not limited to performing rescue, documenting measurements and providing necessary information on the permit. Employees were required to perform work and were authorized to enter permit required confined spaces such as but not limited to Zinc and Copper tanks and reactors.     Condition noted on or about June 5, 2018.

Issued

Nov 29, 2018

Abate by

Jan 18, 2019

Penalty

Initial $23,281 · Current $19,788 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i): Procedures were not developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees were engaged in activities covered by this section:    a) Old Bridge Chemical, Inc./Old Bridge, NJ -Throughout the Plant: The employer did not develop and implement machine specific energy control procedures where employees were required to perform servicing and maintenance on equipment used on site such as, but not limited to reactors and digesters. The employees were exposed to hazardous energy stored within the system, including: electrical, mechanical, chemical, and thermal.    Condition noted on or about June 5, 2018.    The Old Bridge Chemical, Inc., was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1249935, citation number 1, item number 1, and was affirmed as a final order on 12/14/2017, with respect to a workplace located at 554 Waterworks Road, Old Bridge, NJ 08857.