Georgetown business pays fine in OSHA case ($20,075)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/business/story/452541.html

By Aliana Ramos - [e-mail]

Chemical company 3V Inc. will have to pay $20,075 in fines by May 28, under a recent settlement agreement with the S.C. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The chemical plant, located in Georgetown, was originally issued $60,925 in fines for 12 safety violations in April 2007 in connection with two incidents in 2006 that killed one person and injured three others.

Some of the violations considered most serious by OSHA included failing to post danger signs for employees about entering confined spaces, not implementing a procedure to ventilate confined spaces during cleaning, failure to have "lock out and tag out" protocol, failing to test the atmosphere in confined spaces for toxic gases and vapors, and failing to develop emergency rescue procedures.

Under the settlement, 3V Inc. must have a wall-to-wall inspection by OSHA's Office of Voluntary program by Monday and must have supervisory training in permit-required confined spaces.

"OSHA's goal is to identify hazards and have them eliminated as quickly as possible to provide for the safety of workers," said OSHA spokesman Jim Knight. "As long as a case is under protest, an employer does not have to do anything regarding violations cited. With the case settled, violations will be corrected right away and training for employees will begin."

Attorney Carl Carruth, who handled the case on behalf of 3V Inc., couldn't be reached for comment. According to the settlement, the company "is entering into this agreement for economic reasons only and specifically does not admit the truth of any alleged facts."

FULL story at link.