American Seafoods settles NH3 violations

Braintree, Mass.-The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reached a settlement agreement last week with American Seafoods International over what the agency claimed were willful and serious violations of safety and health standards at the company’s New Bedford, Mass., processing facility, stemming from process safety management deficiencies. According to OSHA Boston area spokesman Edmond Fitzgerald, the seafood company, which faced a total of $279,000 in fines – chiefly for the handling of anhydrous ammonia in the plant’s refrigeration system – agreed to correct all hazards and pay an amended fine of $175,000. OSHA’s inspection found that the plant’s Process Safety Management (PSM) program, prescribing what employers must do to address hazards associated with large amounts of hazardous chemicals, was incomplete, lacked operating procedures, and did not provide for adequate inspections of process equipment. OSHA’s inspection identified failure to update process safety information, failure to conduct an incident investigation of a January 2001 ammonia leak, failure to certify or evaluate the PSM program every three years as required, failure to establish and implement procedures to maintain changes in the process, and failure to provide and document employee training. American Seafoods also agreed to more training and review. “The requirements of OSHA’s PSM standard are stringent and comprehensive because an ammonia leak could have a severe or catastrophic effect on the plant’s workers,” said Brenda Gordon, OSHA’s area director for Boston and southeastern Massachusetts. “In this case, American Seafoods International knew that aspects of its PSM program were incomplete or inadequate and did not take steps to address those deficiencies. It is imperative that this employer scrutinize, update, and properly maintain each element of the process to minimize hazards and protect its workers’ safety and health.”