Topeka, Kansas, US: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined Reser’s Fine Foods $71,700 for 13 violations related to an ammonia leak at the Topeka plant in March.
OSHA received a complaint about at an ammonia leak from the refrigeration equipment at the Topeka plant on March 3, according to a news release. Investigators found 8 pounds of ammonia had escaped through a leak in the compressor seal. Employees were evacuated and one was taken to a hospital for observation, but returned to work the same day.
“Ammonia can cause immediate damage to skin, eyes and lungs,” Judy Freeman, OSHA’s area director in Wichita, said in a news release. “Refrigeration is essential in the food industry, but the dangers of ammonia in the workplace are entirely preventable if employers follow the right procedures.”
Danielle Katcher, spokeswoman for Reser’s, released a statement saying the company is reviewing OSHA’s findings and evaluating its processes. She said the leak was below levels that would require reporting and that the facility evacuated employees “immediately” and contained the leak.
“Employee safety is paramount at Reser’s Fine Foods Inc.,” she said. “Immediately following the leak, corrective actions were identified and implemented to prevent another such event.”
The plant didn’t use a portable ammonia detector before sending an employee into an engine room to close a valve leading to the leaking equipment, or have written procedures about how to prevent respiratory injury in such a situation, which accounted for $7,000 of the total fine, according to OSHA’s report. The employee wore a respirator, but it may not have sealed tightly enough to provide protection due to the employee’s beard.
The plant didn’t have a written procedure with instructions on how to shut off the flow of ammonia in case of a leak or document who was authorized to use the emergency shut-off button, according to the report. It also didn’t have written procedures for certain equipment or for receiving fresh ammonia supplies. OSHA listed that violation as counting for $7,000 of the total fine.
Another $7,000 was levied because workers in the refrigeration department weren’t properly trained about potential hazards, emergency operations, safe work practices and preventive maintenance of refrigeration equipment, according to the report. It also found ammonia technicians weren’t trained about safe operating procedures and didn’t receive refresher training at least every three years. The plant also didn’t document that it did any kind of assessment to show that employees understood their training.
The company also didn’t have a written procedure for regularly checking and repairing equipment that could cause an ammonia leak if it failed, which was a $7,000 violation, according to the report. OSHA also found the plant hadn’t performed relevant tests and inspections beyond daily rounds.
The plant also was fined $7,000 for not filling out all required safety information related to equipment changes.
According to OSHA’s report, some employees were exposed to “chemical hazards” while attempting to evacuate when they went through an unmarked door that led to a corridor and an office area. Doors that could be mistaken for emergency exits, but aren’t, should be marked “Not an Exit” or with their actual use, according to OSHA. That violation accounted for $5,500 of the fine.
Another $5,500 of the fine came because the plant didn’t follow proper procedures for repairing the compressor, according to the report. Employees were at risk for electric shock and chemical hazards, according to OSHA, though none were harmed.
OSHA also fined the plant $5,500 for not properly marking refrigeration piping and other components that contained ammonia and $7,000 for not having records of purchase that would have given more information about the quality of the ammonia.
OSHA fined the plant $3,300 for each of the following violations: failure to evaluate the safety procedures of the contractor that delivered its ammonia; failure to show that it had performed a compliance audit at least every three years; not maintaining rooftop electrical components to prevent the possibility of shock while performing maintenance; and not performing inspections so the equipment wouldn’t start up unexpectedly, putting workers at risk.
The report said the company didn’t regularly test the sensors used to detect an ammonia leak, only had one in areas where it should have had at least two and that it was mounted more than 7 feet in the air, where it couldn’t measure the quality of the air most employees were breathing.
The report also noted the plant didn’t document that it completed required corrections related to ammonia from 2011. The plant also didn’t record whether it was following its processes related to ammonia or update procedures annually to reflect any possible changes in technology.
The penalty hasn’t been finalized, and Reser’s still could contest the findings or meet with OSHA to discuss possibly reducing the fine through September 25.
