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September 20, 2022

OSHA fines Manchester lab $907K for ‘willfully exposing’ employees to carcinogen

Contributed
By Andrew Larson

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has fined Manchester-based Phoenix Environmental Laboratories Inc. for “willfully exposing” employees to a carcinogen.

For several months, employees at the company’s Manchester laboratory complained to management about faulty ventilation systems at the work site and about symptoms including dizziness, light-headedness, headaches and unsteady walking, according to OSHA. 

OSHA found their symptoms were caused by exposure to the hazardous chemical methylene chloride, which the lab uses in analyzing environmental samples.

Employees were exposed to the chemical at levels above the permissible limit due to inadequate ventilation and recurring leaks from equipment in work areas, according to the federal agency.

The company knew of the hazards, but did not correct them and provide effective safeguards to employees, OSHA said.

“Phoenix Environmental Laboratories knew of its employees’ exposure to a highly hazardous and carcinogenic chemical, yet chose to ignore their complaints and failed to take effective corrective action,” said OSHA Area Director Dale Varney in Hartford.

OSHA found that Phoenix failed to:

  • Ensure employees were not overexposed to methylene chloride.
  • Perform initial exposure monitoring and inform employees of monitoring results.
  • Determine employees’ exposure levels when the control methods were known to be inadequate.
  • Ensure adequate ventilation during procedures that exposed employees to methylene chloride.
  • Implement procedures to detect, contain and safely dispose of leaking methylene chloride.
  • Provide employees with adequate skin, eye and face protection from methylene chloride and other solvents.
  • Make medical surveillance available and provide medical exams to exposed employees.
  • Provide employees with information and training on the hazards associated with the chemicals they use.
  • Ensure that chemical fume hoods functioned properly and did not leak onto employees.

OSHA cited the lab for six willful violations, 10 serious violations and one other-than-serious violation and proposed a total of $907,253 in penalties. The company has 15 days to contest the citations.

Phoenix, which provides testing of soils, water, sludge, solids and air, said that it is in discussions with OSHA concerning the apparent violations and penalty classifications.  

“Phoenix recognizes that the safety regulations pertaining to the operation of an environmental laboratory are highly complex and has welcomed OSHA’s expertise in identifying where changes should be made,” the lab said in a statement. “Phoenix immediately began making the improvements that OSHA recommended while the inspection was in process and will continue to do so.”

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