Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: CHEMICAL

Vermont Statute, TITLE 21 Labor : CHAPTER 3. SAFETY : Subchapter 5. Occupational Safety and Health : 223. Duties and Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees, in that, employees were exposed to the hazard of inadvertent mixing of incompatible chemicals that would produce exothermic chemical reactions that release hazardous heats-of-reaction and/or chlorine gas and/or other halogenated gases. Location(s): 1) Copley Manor, 577 Washington Highway, Morrisville, VT and; 2) CPL Long Term Care, Inc., d.b.a. Rowan Court Health and Rehabilitation Center, 378 Prospect Street, Barre VT (Rowan Court). Violation: The employer did not ensure that employees were protected from exposure to the hazard of exothermic reactions that include(s) the offgassing of halogenated gases while working in the chemical storage areas and the laundry rooms, where provisions were not made for the safe separation of incompatible chemicals, in that, five (5)-gallon, plastic containers of Sodium Hydroxide (strong base) and Phosphoric Acid (strong acid) and Sodium Hypochlorite (halogenated base) were stored and/or dispensed within 4 feet of each other, on or about 01/06/06 at CPL Long Term Care, Inc., d.b.a. Rowan Court Health and Rehabilitation Center (Rowan Court) in Barre, Vermont and; on or about 12/27/05 at Copley Manor in Morrisville, Vermont. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to physically separate the acids and alkalies and halogenated caustic materials into different areas and to refrain from stacking containers of incompatible materials on top of each other (on flammable wooden pallets at Rowan Court) and to secure these buckets inside containment pans or troughs. This administrative change would eliminate the chance of inadvertently mixing incompatible materials caused by 1) broken or accidentally opened bungs on the containers and/or; 2) broken service tubing exiting the containers and/or; 3) incorrectly emplaced service tubing filled with an incompatible corrosive material and/or 4) a spill or splatter accident.