Atlanta Paper Product Manufacturer Cited for Lack of Hot Steam Protection in Texas Facility
After a worker was burned at the Queen City, Texas facility, OSHA launched an investigation and found multiple violations.
A Georgia-based paper product manufacturer – Graphic Packaging International LLC – was cited in July for exposing employees to hot steam and failing to ensure the use of proper hazardous energy control methods. The company now faces $211,400 in proposed fines.
An employee who was trying to repair a leak on a steam-line header was burned by hot steam at the Queen City, Texas facility. After the incident, OSHA launched an investigation and determined the header had been leaking for several months. In addition, the company violated federal safety standards for personal protective equipment (PPE), lockout/tagout and process safety management.
“Unexpected energy such as steam has the potential to cause severe injuries when proper procedures are absent,” said OSHA Area Director Basil Singh, in Dallas, Texas. “Using safe energy control procedures could have prevented this injury.”
OSHA provides compliance assistance resources on protective equipment, controlling hazardous energy and safely managing hazardous chemicals.