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OSHA News Release - (Archived) Table of Contents |
| NOTICE: This is an OSHA Archive Document, and may no longer represent OSHA Policy. It is presented here as historical content, for research and review purposes only. |
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Region 6 News Release: OSHA-02-164 Tues., Oct. 8, 2002 Contact: Diana Petterson or Elizabeth Todd Phone: (214) 767-4776, Ext. 222 or 221 Meat Packing Company Fined for Exposing Workers to Hazardous Chemicals, Dangerous Working Conditions DALLAS -- Failure to protect workers from hazardous chemicals and provide personal protective equipment against falls and fires, will cost Sam Kane Beef Processors Inc. in Corpus Christi, Texas, $60,525 in proposed penalties for citations issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Sam Kane Beef Processors, a meat packing business, is headquartered in Corpus Christi and employs about 700 workers. The violations cited were a result of two OSHA inspections, a safety inspection that began April 1 and a health inspection that began April 30. The company was cited with 17 alleged serious violations including failing to implement elements of the Process Safety Management Standards for Highly Hazardous Chemicals, failing to implement lock out/tag out procedures to stop and secure the energy source, failing to provide employees with personal protective equipment and failing to protect employees from exposure to corrosive materials. The proposed safety penalties totaled $40,275. Additionally, the company was cited with nine alleged serious health violations for exposing employees to a high level of noise, failing to follow bloodborne pathogens standards and failing to properly fit test employees with respirators. A serious violation is one in which the hazard could cause death or serious physical harm to employees and the employer knew or should have known about it. The Process Safety Management Standard must be followed by facilities that utilize certain thresholds of hazardous chemicals. It requires the training of workers and an analysis of potential hazards and how to correct them. Employers or workers who have questions concerning safety and health can contact the OSHA Corpus Christ area office at (361) 888-3420 or call OSHA's toll-free hotline number at 1-800-321-6742 to report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers. ### U.S. Labor Department news releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. |
| NOTICE: This is an OSHA Archive Document, and may no longer represent OSHA Policy. It is presented here as historical content, for research and review purposes only. |
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OSHA News Release - (Archived) Table of Contents |