Community Corner
Berlin Company Facing Citations for ‘Serious Violations of Workplace Safety’
The U.S. Department of Labor has issued 13 separate citations to the East Berlin-based StanChem Inc. for what the department has classified as "serious violations of workplace standards."
East Berlin-based StanChem, Inc., is facing various citations and fines after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration uncovered 13 violations that the agency said creates “substantial hazards” in the workplace.
The U.S. Department of Labor this week announced that an inspection turned up “violations included lacking information about processing equipment, failing to determine and document that the equipment met good engineering practices, and having incomplete or outdated process hazard analysis.”
“The requirements of OSHA’s process safety management standards are stringent and comprehensive because failure to effectively implement a process safety management program can lead to a catastrophic incident,” said Warren Simpson, OSHA’s area director in Hartford, in a statement.
Serious violations, according to OSHA, are considered any violation where there is substantial possibility that death or serious physical harm. The violations are specific to issues that the East Berlin company either knew or should have known about, officials said.
The company, which specializes in the production of polymers and specialty coatings, is facing fines of $55,300 and is given 15 business days to either address the issues, request a conference with Simpson or appeal the decision.
A call made to the company was not returned Wednesday.
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