OSHA Inspection: VERSOGEN

Issued

Jul 3, 2025

Abate by

Jul 30, 2025

Penalty

Initial $6,620 · Current $6,620

Hazardous substances 1730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1052(e)(6): The employer shall demarcate regulated areas from the rest of the workplace in any manner that adequately establishes and alerts employees to the boundaries of the area and minimizes the number of authorized employees exposed to MC within the regulated area.  a) 1090 Elkton Road Newark, DE 19711 - On or about February 11, 2025, it was determined from interviews with staff and management that the Walk-In Hood/Area which housed the main reactor vessels was not clearly identified [e.g. labeled] by the employer which exposed employees to concentrations of the hazardous chemical Methylene Chloride (dichloromethane) upon entering the walk-in hood to monitor the the development of the polymerization reaction concerning the film/membrane.

Issued

Jul 3, 2025

Abate by

Jul 30, 2025

Penalty

Initial $6,620 · Current $6,620

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1052(f)(1): The employer did not institute and maintain the effectiveness of engineering controls and work practices to reduce employee exposure to or below the permissible exposure limits and wherever the feasible engineering controls and work practices which can be instituted were not sufficient to reduce employee exposure to or below the 8-hour time weighted average permissible exposure limit or short term exposure limit, the employer did not use them to reduce employee exposure to the lowest levels achievable and did not supplement them by the use of respiratory protection that compiled with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.1052(g):   a) 1090 Elkton Road Newark, DE 19711 - On or about February 11, 2025, the employer failed to institute engineering controls such as, but not limited to, a filtered ventilation process  for the Walk-In Hood / Area that is associated with the Main Reactor Vessels. This is a process needed to reduce employee exposure to Methylene Chloride (dichloromethane) when exposed to the  polymerization process. The engineering controls are able to ensure the lowest exposure level achievable during polymerization reactions concerning the film/membrane development.

Issued

Jul 3, 2025

Abate by

Jul 30, 2025

Penalty

Initial $6,620 · Current $6,620

Hazardous substances 1730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1052(g)(1)(i): Respirators were not used during periods when an employee's exposure to methylene chloride exceeds the 8-hour time weighted average permissible exposure limit or short-term exposure limit:  a) 1090 Elkton Road Newark, DE 19711 - On or about February 11, 2025, it was determined by the compliance officer that full-face respiratory protection had not been provided for use as employee entered within the Walk-in-Hood area and Room 125 of where  an Reactor's lid was open exposing employees to Methylene Chloride or Dichloromethane to identify if it's was being properly developed.

Issued

Jul 3, 2025

Abate by

Jul 30, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1052(g)(2)(i): The employer did not implement a respiratory protection program in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134 (b) through (m) (except (d)(1)(iii)), which covers each employee required by 29 CFR 1910.1052 to use a respirator:  a) 1090 Elkton Road Newark, DE. 19711- On or about February 11, 2025, the employer failed to implement an appropriate respiratory protection program to protect employees from the chemical hazards posed by methylene chloride (dichloromethane) during polymerization reactions upon developing anion exchange membranes. The employer provided elastomeric, 1/2 face respirators with organic vapor cartridges, but the employer provided no respiratory protection program that is required  in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134(b) through (m). The respirators worn were was not full-face, as  required by the SDS provided by the chemical manufacturer which states a full-face, air-line atmospheric supplied respirator is to be worn.

Issued

Jul 3, 2025

Abate by

Jul 30, 2025

Penalty

Initial $6,620 · Current $6,620

Hazardous substances 1730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1052(h)(2):The employer did not clean, launder, repair and replace all protective clothing and equipment required by 29 CFR 1910.1052(h) as needed to maintain their effectiveness:  a) 1090 Elkton Road Newark, DE 19711: On or about February 11, 2025, the employer failed to provide gloves  that are chemical  resistant  for employees who are exposed to Methylene Chloride during the polymerization reaction process when developing the anion exchange membranes which involved the film/membrane infused sheets..