Ohio Paint Company Fined for Releasing Chemical Vapor Cloud

OSHA has fined a paint company $138,600 for 26 violations.

A paint company in Columbus, Ohio is facing $138,600 in fines after a chemical vapor cloud was released in March.

OPC Polymers, a paint producer, received 26 citations from OSHA following an investigation that began after the incident earlier this year. All of the violations were serious except one. They ranged from mixing flammable chemicals together to putting too much pressure on equipment.

"Employers must provide safe working conditions, especially for employees who work with highly hazardous chemicals," said Deborah Zubaty, OSHA's area director in Columbus in a statement on the agency’s website. "It is clear that OPC Polymers failed to create safety procedures, and did not train and review procedures with employees to ensure their effectiveness."

The full list of citations against the company can be found on OSHA’s website.

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