Pesticide and agricultural chemical manufacturer Kittrich Corp., operating as Avenger Products LLC, was cited and issued a fine of $90,801 by the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) after the agency determined the company exposed workers to amputation, fire, and electrical hazards at its facility in Gainesville, GA.

Citations were issued to Avenger Products for not adhering to lockout/tagout procedures to prevent unexpected machine startup during maintenance, failing to label breakers and electrical panels, and improper storage of flammable chemicals. OSHA also cited the firm for neglecting to provide workers with adequate hand protection; failing to train workers on the use of portable fire extinguishers; and for not updating safety data sheets and providing the documents to workers.

“Employers who develop and implement a comprehensive safety and health program that identifies and corrects workplace hazards can mitigate the dangers that threaten workers’ safety and health,” OSHA Atlanta-East Area Director William Fulcher said in an agency press release published Tuesday.

Avenger Products has 15 business days after receiving the citations to comply, contest the findings before an independent panel, or request an informal conference with an OSHA area director.

Lockout/Tagout was the second-most violated OSHA standard by chemical manufacturers in 2019, Powder & Bulk Solids reported. Hazard communication, which includes safety data sheets, was the third-most violated standard in the sector. 

OSHA fined silicon chemical products manufacturer AB Specialty Silicones $1.5 million this October after four workers died from injuries they sustained during an explosion and fire at the firm’s Waukegan, IL plant on May 3, 2019. 

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