OSHA Busts Lab Equipment Maker for 29 Safety Violations
Proposed penalties total $122,000 following an inspection initiated as part of OSHA's Site-Specific Targeting Program for industries with high injury and illness rates.
OSHA has cited New Brunswick Scientific Co. for 29 safety and health violations at its Edison, N.J., facility. Proposed penalties total $122,000 following an inspection initiated as part of OSHA's Site-Specific Targeting Program for industries with high injury and illness rates.
Twenty-eight serious violations involve locked exit doors, obstructed exit routes and unmarked exit routes, an inadequate hazardous energy control program, blocked access to a fire extinguisher, inadequate machine guarding, various electrical and noise hazards, a lack of training on noise hazards, chemical exposure above the recommended limit, use of methylene chloride without determining employees' exposure, asbestos surface contamination, a lack of asbestos training, ineffective engineering controls, not providing proper personal protective equipment, and the lack of a hazard communication program.
One other-than-serious violation, with no monetary penalty, was cited for failing to provide required information to employees who voluntarily use a respirator.
"These hazards pose a serious risk to the health and safety of workers at the facility and should be corrected as soon as possible," said Patricia Jones, director of OSHA's Avenel Area Office. "Employers are required by law to provide employees with a safe and healthful work environment."
The company manufactures lab equipment and employs about 248 workers at the Edison facility.