OSHA cites Plaquemine plant

Federal workplace safety regulators have cited a plant in Plaquemine with 14 serious violations for exposing workers to multiple safety and health hazards at the facility. Proposed penalties announced against Georgia Gulf Chemicals & Vinyls total $55,000. The violations include failing to illuminate exit routes, to train workers performing preventive maintenance on safety critical instruments, and to ensure eyewashes had adequate flow and capped nozzles. Georgia Gulf specializes in the production of chlorine, caustic soda, vinyl chloride monomer, vinyl resins, phenol and acetone. Dorinda Folse, director of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s office in Baton Rouge, says an investigation was opened on July 20 after an inspector saw violations by employees while conducting a separate probe of a different company contracted to do maintenance work inside the facility. Georgia Gulf, headquartered in Atlanta, has 15 days to comply, to request an informal conference with Folse’s office or to contest the citations and penalties before an independent commission.