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Chemical processor fined nearly $480,000 for exposing workers to toxic gases
| From | Washington State Department of Labor & Industries <[email protected]> |
| Subject | Chemical processor fined nearly $480,000 for exposing workers to toxic gases |
| Date | August 31, 2023 10:18 PM |
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Chemical processor fined nearly $480,000 for exposing workers to toxic gases
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L&I NEWS [ [link removed] ]
*Chemical processor fined nearly $480,000 for exposing workers to toxic gases*
Aug. 31, 2023
#23-22
TUMWATER ??A manufacturing company that works with dangerous chemicals in Moses Lake is facing $479,700 in fines for having a worker unload molten sulfur from a railcar without wearing the proper respiratory protection, along with other serious safety violations.
"Vea abajo para esta informaci?n en espa?ol."
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries [ [link removed] ] (L&I) cited and fined Two Rivers Terminal in July for seven willful serious violations, seven serious violations and four general violations.
Two Rivers formulates products for agricultural fertilizer, airports, pulp and paper, and water treatment. In addition to Moses Lake, the company has plants in Pasco and Umatilla, Ore.
During a Jan. 2023 investigation, L&I inspectors found that an employee who had been working on top of a railcar became incapacitated and fell to the ground after being exposed to the toxic gas hydrogen sulfide. The worker suffered serious injuries. He was not wearing a hydrogen sulfide gas monitor, respiratory protection or fall protection.
At the time of the incident, the worker had a full beard that would not allow the proper seal of a respirator. Personal hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide monitors were not issued to employees until the day after the fall.
Company management also said the process for unloading molten sulfur changed from unloading tank trucks to unloading railcars a few months prior to the incident, but they hadn?t done any assessment for how dangerous the new process might be.
?It?s hard to overstate how serious a risk they were taking with their workers? lives,? said Craig Blackwood, assistant director for L&I?s Division of Occupational Safety and Health. ?We?re focusing our enforcement efforts on making sure Two Rivers is doing everything it must to ensure its workers return home safely at the end of the day.?
*Court order stops work
* On Jan. 26, L&I inspectors issued an Order of Immediate Restraint, stopping work at the molten sulfur railcar unload area until the company took specific steps to make their workers safer, including providing respirators and ensuring they fit and were used properly. The order was lifted Feb. 6.
On Feb. 16, inspectors returned to perform a walkthrough of the railcar unload area and sulfur forming unit. Here, they observed and photographed a Two Rivers Terminal worker loosening the bolts to a manway hatch on a molten sulfur railcar. One inspector said he could see a bluish/white plume of smoke, hear the hiss of gas escaping from the manway hatch, and he could hear multiple alarms coming from employee?s hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide monitor. The inspector concluded that just loosening the bolts on the manway hatch allows toxic gas to escape, substantiating the willful violations found during the initial inspection.
*Repeat of previous willful violations
*Two Rivers was previously cited for more than 60 safety violations following an Oct. 2022 inspection. Six of the recent willful violations are for hazards that were not fixed from the 2022 citations.
The company is appealing both the 2022 and 2023 citations. Fines paid from citations go into the workers? compensation supplemental pension fund, helping workers and families of those who have died on the job.
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ###
31 de agosto de 2023? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?#23-22
*Procesador de qu?micos multado por casi $480,000 por exponer a los trabajadores a gases t?xicos*
TUMWATER ??Una compa??a de fabricaci?n que trabaja con qu?micos peligrosos en Moses Lake se enfrenta a $479,700 en multas por dirigir a los trabajadores descargar azufre fundido desde un vag?n de carga sin usar la protecci?n respiratoria adecuada, entre otras infracciones serias a las reglas de seguridad.
El Departamento de Labor e Industrias del Estado de Washington [ [link removed] ] (L&I) cit? y mult? a Two Rivers Terminal en julio por siete infracciones serias deliberadas, siete infracciones serias y cuatro infracciones generales.
Two Rivers Terminal elabora productos para fertilizantes agr?colas, aeropuertos, tratamiento de agua, celulosa y papel. Adem?s de Moses Lake, la compa??a cuenta con plantas en Pasco y Umatilla, Oregon.
Durante una investigaci?n en enero de 2023, los inspectores de L&I descubrieron que un empleado que estaba trabajando en la parte superior de un vag?n de carga qued? incapacitado y cay? al suelo despu?s de haber sido expuesto al gas t?xico del sulfuro de hidr?geno. El trabajador sufri? lesiones serias. ?l no estaba usando un monitor de gas sulfuro de hidr?geno, protecci?n respiratoria, o protecci?n contra ca?das.?
En el momento del incidente, el trabajador ten?a una barba completa que no permit?a que el respirador sellar? adecuadamente. No se proporcionaron monitores personales de sulfuro de hidr?geno y di?xido de azufre a los empleados hasta el d?a despu?s de la ca?da.
La administraci?n de la compa??a tambi?n dijo que los procesos para descargar el azufre fundido cambiaron de descargar los camiones de tanques a descargar vagones de carga algunos meses antes del incidente, pero ellos no hab?an realizado ninguna evaluaci?n de cu?n peligroso ser?a el nuevo proceso.
?No es f?cil reflejar que tan serio era el riesgo que ellos estaban tomando con las vidas de los trabajadores? se?al? Craig Blackwood, subdirector de la Divisi?n de Seguridad y Salud Ocupacional de L&I. ?Estamos centrando nuestros esfuerzos en hacer cumplir la ley asegurando que Two Rivers est? haciendo todo lo que deber?a para asegurar que los trabajadores regresen a sus casas al final del d?a de forma segura?.
*Orden judicial detiene el trabajo
*El 26 de enero, los inspectores de L&I emitieron una orden de restricci?n inmediata (OIR, por su sigla en ingl?s), deteniendo el trabajo en el ?rea de descarga de los vagones de carga de azufre fundido hasta que la compa??a tomara medidas espec?ficas para mantener a sus trabajadores seguros, incluyendo proveer respiradores y asegurar que se ajustaran y se usaran adecuadamente. La orden fue levantada el 6 de febrero.
El 16 de febrero, los inspectores regresaron para realizar una visita en persona del ?rea de descarga de vagones de carga y la unidad de formaci?n de azufre. All? es donde observaron y fotografiaron a un trabajador de Two Rivers Terminal aflojando los pernos de la escotilla de la cubierta de un vag?n de carga de azufre fundido. Uno de los inspectores mencion? que pudo ver una columna de humo blanco/azulado, escuchar el silbido del gas escapando de la escotilla de la cubierta, y escuchar m?ltiples alarmas provenientes del monitor de sulfuro de hidr?geno y di?xido de azufre del empleado. El inspector concluy? que aflojar los pernos en la escotilla de la cubierta permiti? que el gas t?xico escapara, corroborando las infracciones deliberadas encontradas durante la inspecci?n inicial.
*Repetici?n de previas infracciones deliberadas
*Two Rivers ya hab?a sido citada anteriormente por m?s de 60 infracciones de seguridad tras una inspecci?n en octubre de 2022. Seis de las recientes infracciones deliberas son por peligros que no han sido arreglados de las citaciones de 2022.
La compa??a est? apelando las citaciones de 2022 y 2023. Las multas pagadas por las citaciones se depositan en el fondo de pensi?n complementario del seguro de compensaci?n para trabajadores, ayudando a los trabajadores y familias de aquellos que perdieron la vida en el trabajo.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?###
*For media information:* Dina Lorraine <[email protected]>, L&I Public Affairs, 360-972-4868.
L&I Newsroom [ [link removed] ]?([link removed]).
*Connect with L&I:?*Facebook [ [link removed] ]?(facebook.com/laborandindustries) and?Twitter [ [link removed] ]?(twitter.com/lniwa).
Railcar
Photo taken Jan. 19, 2023, shows the railcar from which a Two Rivers Terminal worker fell after he was exposed to toxic hydrogen sulfide gas.?
Worker on top of railcar
Photo taken Feb. 16, 2023, shows a bluish/white plume of gas escaping from a manway hatch after a?Two Rivers Terminal worker loosened the bolts to the hatch on a molten sulfur railcar.?
facebook [ [link removed] ]twitter [ [link removed] ]website [ [link removed] ]
? Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.
[email protected]
Access Agreement [ [link removed] ]?|?Privacy & Security Statement [ [link removed] ]?|?Intended Use/External Content Policy [ [link removed] ]?
Subscribe/unsubscribe or modify your account settings [ [link removed] ]. You will need your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com [ [link removed] ].
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________________________________________________________________________
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries ??7273 Linderson Way SW???Tumwater WA 98501
Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page [ [link removed] ].
L&I NEWS [ [link removed] ]
*Chemical processor fined nearly $480,000 for exposing workers to toxic gases*
Aug. 31, 2023
#23-22
TUMWATER ??A manufacturing company that works with dangerous chemicals in Moses Lake is facing $479,700 in fines for having a worker unload molten sulfur from a railcar without wearing the proper respiratory protection, along with other serious safety violations.
"Vea abajo para esta informaci?n en espa?ol."
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries [ [link removed] ] (L&I) cited and fined Two Rivers Terminal in July for seven willful serious violations, seven serious violations and four general violations.
Two Rivers formulates products for agricultural fertilizer, airports, pulp and paper, and water treatment. In addition to Moses Lake, the company has plants in Pasco and Umatilla, Ore.
During a Jan. 2023 investigation, L&I inspectors found that an employee who had been working on top of a railcar became incapacitated and fell to the ground after being exposed to the toxic gas hydrogen sulfide. The worker suffered serious injuries. He was not wearing a hydrogen sulfide gas monitor, respiratory protection or fall protection.
At the time of the incident, the worker had a full beard that would not allow the proper seal of a respirator. Personal hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide monitors were not issued to employees until the day after the fall.
Company management also said the process for unloading molten sulfur changed from unloading tank trucks to unloading railcars a few months prior to the incident, but they hadn?t done any assessment for how dangerous the new process might be.
?It?s hard to overstate how serious a risk they were taking with their workers? lives,? said Craig Blackwood, assistant director for L&I?s Division of Occupational Safety and Health. ?We?re focusing our enforcement efforts on making sure Two Rivers is doing everything it must to ensure its workers return home safely at the end of the day.?
*Court order stops work
* On Jan. 26, L&I inspectors issued an Order of Immediate Restraint, stopping work at the molten sulfur railcar unload area until the company took specific steps to make their workers safer, including providing respirators and ensuring they fit and were used properly. The order was lifted Feb. 6.
On Feb. 16, inspectors returned to perform a walkthrough of the railcar unload area and sulfur forming unit. Here, they observed and photographed a Two Rivers Terminal worker loosening the bolts to a manway hatch on a molten sulfur railcar. One inspector said he could see a bluish/white plume of smoke, hear the hiss of gas escaping from the manway hatch, and he could hear multiple alarms coming from employee?s hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide monitor. The inspector concluded that just loosening the bolts on the manway hatch allows toxic gas to escape, substantiating the willful violations found during the initial inspection.
*Repeat of previous willful violations
*Two Rivers was previously cited for more than 60 safety violations following an Oct. 2022 inspection. Six of the recent willful violations are for hazards that were not fixed from the 2022 citations.
The company is appealing both the 2022 and 2023 citations. Fines paid from citations go into the workers? compensation supplemental pension fund, helping workers and families of those who have died on the job.
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ###
31 de agosto de 2023? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?#23-22
*Procesador de qu?micos multado por casi $480,000 por exponer a los trabajadores a gases t?xicos*
TUMWATER ??Una compa??a de fabricaci?n que trabaja con qu?micos peligrosos en Moses Lake se enfrenta a $479,700 en multas por dirigir a los trabajadores descargar azufre fundido desde un vag?n de carga sin usar la protecci?n respiratoria adecuada, entre otras infracciones serias a las reglas de seguridad.
El Departamento de Labor e Industrias del Estado de Washington [ [link removed] ] (L&I) cit? y mult? a Two Rivers Terminal en julio por siete infracciones serias deliberadas, siete infracciones serias y cuatro infracciones generales.
Two Rivers Terminal elabora productos para fertilizantes agr?colas, aeropuertos, tratamiento de agua, celulosa y papel. Adem?s de Moses Lake, la compa??a cuenta con plantas en Pasco y Umatilla, Oregon.
Durante una investigaci?n en enero de 2023, los inspectores de L&I descubrieron que un empleado que estaba trabajando en la parte superior de un vag?n de carga qued? incapacitado y cay? al suelo despu?s de haber sido expuesto al gas t?xico del sulfuro de hidr?geno. El trabajador sufri? lesiones serias. ?l no estaba usando un monitor de gas sulfuro de hidr?geno, protecci?n respiratoria, o protecci?n contra ca?das.?
En el momento del incidente, el trabajador ten?a una barba completa que no permit?a que el respirador sellar? adecuadamente. No se proporcionaron monitores personales de sulfuro de hidr?geno y di?xido de azufre a los empleados hasta el d?a despu?s de la ca?da.
La administraci?n de la compa??a tambi?n dijo que los procesos para descargar el azufre fundido cambiaron de descargar los camiones de tanques a descargar vagones de carga algunos meses antes del incidente, pero ellos no hab?an realizado ninguna evaluaci?n de cu?n peligroso ser?a el nuevo proceso.
?No es f?cil reflejar que tan serio era el riesgo que ellos estaban tomando con las vidas de los trabajadores? se?al? Craig Blackwood, subdirector de la Divisi?n de Seguridad y Salud Ocupacional de L&I. ?Estamos centrando nuestros esfuerzos en hacer cumplir la ley asegurando que Two Rivers est? haciendo todo lo que deber?a para asegurar que los trabajadores regresen a sus casas al final del d?a de forma segura?.
*Orden judicial detiene el trabajo
*El 26 de enero, los inspectores de L&I emitieron una orden de restricci?n inmediata (OIR, por su sigla en ingl?s), deteniendo el trabajo en el ?rea de descarga de los vagones de carga de azufre fundido hasta que la compa??a tomara medidas espec?ficas para mantener a sus trabajadores seguros, incluyendo proveer respiradores y asegurar que se ajustaran y se usaran adecuadamente. La orden fue levantada el 6 de febrero.
El 16 de febrero, los inspectores regresaron para realizar una visita en persona del ?rea de descarga de vagones de carga y la unidad de formaci?n de azufre. All? es donde observaron y fotografiaron a un trabajador de Two Rivers Terminal aflojando los pernos de la escotilla de la cubierta de un vag?n de carga de azufre fundido. Uno de los inspectores mencion? que pudo ver una columna de humo blanco/azulado, escuchar el silbido del gas escapando de la escotilla de la cubierta, y escuchar m?ltiples alarmas provenientes del monitor de sulfuro de hidr?geno y di?xido de azufre del empleado. El inspector concluy? que aflojar los pernos en la escotilla de la cubierta permiti? que el gas t?xico escapara, corroborando las infracciones deliberadas encontradas durante la inspecci?n inicial.
*Repetici?n de previas infracciones deliberadas
*Two Rivers ya hab?a sido citada anteriormente por m?s de 60 infracciones de seguridad tras una inspecci?n en octubre de 2022. Seis de las recientes infracciones deliberas son por peligros que no han sido arreglados de las citaciones de 2022.
La compa??a est? apelando las citaciones de 2022 y 2023. Las multas pagadas por las citaciones se depositan en el fondo de pensi?n complementario del seguro de compensaci?n para trabajadores, ayudando a los trabajadores y familias de aquellos que perdieron la vida en el trabajo.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?###
*For media information:* Dina Lorraine <[email protected]>, L&I Public Affairs, 360-972-4868.
L&I Newsroom [ [link removed] ]?([link removed]).
*Connect with L&I:?*Facebook [ [link removed] ]?(facebook.com/laborandindustries) and?Twitter [ [link removed] ]?(twitter.com/lniwa).
Railcar
Photo taken Jan. 19, 2023, shows the railcar from which a Two Rivers Terminal worker fell after he was exposed to toxic hydrogen sulfide gas.?
Worker on top of railcar
Photo taken Feb. 16, 2023, shows a bluish/white plume of gas escaping from a manway hatch after a?Two Rivers Terminal worker loosened the bolts to the hatch on a molten sulfur railcar.?
facebook [ [link removed] ]twitter [ [link removed] ]website [ [link removed] ]
? Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.
[email protected]
Access Agreement [ [link removed] ]?|?Privacy & Security Statement [ [link removed] ]?|?Intended Use/External Content Policy [ [link removed] ]?
Subscribe/unsubscribe or modify your account settings [ [link removed] ]. You will need your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com [ [link removed] ].
?
________________________________________________________________________
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries ??7273 Linderson Way SW???Tumwater WA 98501
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