Chlorine plant tries to head off fines (public was at risk total penalties of $48,650)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/kearny/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1228375639242980.xml&coll=3

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Kuehne Chemical in Kearny has been cited and fined by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 33 worker safety and health violations, including lapses that could lead to a toxic chlorine release, an advocate group and OSHA officials confirmed yesterday.

On Nov. 10 and 14, OSHA issued citations to Kuehne for violating federal standards and assessed total penalties of $48,650, said officials with the NJ Work Environment Council (WEC), an alliance of 70 labor and community organizations.

WEC has characterized Kuehne, which sits across the Hackensack River from Jersey City, as "the nation's most potentially hazardous chemical plant."

The OSHA violations include Kuehne's failure to: secure one-ton containers of liquid chlorine on forklift trucks to prevent them from falling off; accurately map potentially hazardous processes involving chlorine; assess the potential of pipe erosion/corrosion, which could cause a chlorine leak; and evaluate potential health effects on employees due to control failure.

Kuehne spokesman Don Nicolai characterized the citations as mostly "paperwork violations" that have been rectified. Kuehne and OSHA officials plan to meet today, he said.

OSHA spokeswoman Leni Fortson said the penalties are on hold pending the outcome of the meeting.

The most recent data submitted by Kuehne to U.S. EPA indicates that a worst-case release of chlorine gas from the plant could potentially endanger any of 12 million residents within a 14-mile area, WEC officials said.

JOURNAL STAFF