A New Jersey-based diagnostics company faces a $152,000 fine after federal labor watchdogs allegedly found it wasn’t doing enough to protect its employees against hazardous chemicals.
A spokesman for the company, Quest Diagnostics, said that it disputes OSHA’s findings but will work with regulators to address the issues raised.
In a prepared statement, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration said several employees of a Quest lab in Shelton filed complaints “because they were experiencing sore throats, headaches and difficulty with breathing.”
In March the feds began an inspection of the facility.
“The inspection identified violations of OSHA’s laboratory safety standard, which requires employers to protect their employees against the effects of hazardous chemicals used in laboratories,” the OSHA statement said. “Safeguards include a complete and effective chemical hygiene plan stating the employer’s policies, procedures and responsibilities for protecting employees.”
A spokesman for Quest said in a statement that the company disputes OSHA’s findings.
“While we dispute each of the allegations in the citation, we intend to work with OSHA to address the issues they have alleged,” the spokesman, Dennis J. Moynihan, said. “The safety of our employees and quality of our laboratory operations is of paramount importance to us.”
OSHA documented a laundry list of alleged shortcomings at the Shelton lab, saying Quest failed to:
- Provide each laboratory employee who displayed signs and symptoms of exposure to hazardous chemicals the opportunity for an appropriate medical examination.
- Inform each laboratory employee of the signs and symptoms of exposure to acetic acid, alcohols, formaldehyde, xylene and other chemicals used in the laboratory.
- Train laboratory employees on how to detect the presence or release of hazardous chemicals.
- Conduct a hazard assessment to determine what type of personal protective equipment laboratory employees would need and use.
- Inform employees of the location and availability of the laboratory’s chemical hygiene plan and provide them training about the plan.
- Implement each section of the chemical hygiene plan for laboratory employees exposed to health hazards associated with xylene, acetic acids, alcohols and formaldehyde.
- Ensure that the plan contained procedures for the safe separation and removal of incompatible chemical waste and included procedures to ensure proper and adequate performance of protective equipment.
- Provide laboratory employees with, or post, the results of chemical exposure monitoring and sampling.
- Prevent construction workers working in the lab from having contact with xylene, acetic acid and alcohols and monitor or evaluate them for exposure to formaldehyde.
- Post a summary of the laboratory’s work-related illnesses or injuries for calendar year 2015.
- Remove plastic covers from sprinkler heads and carbon monoxide detectors in newly renovated sections of the laboratory.
In the OSHA statement, area director Robert Kowalski blasted Quest for putting employees at risk.
“A laboratory chemical hygiene plan is not a paper exercise,” Kowalski, the OSHA official, said. “It’s a continuous ongoing process that is key to preventing employees from being sickened by the hazardous chemicals with which they work. Our inspection found several serious deficiencies concerning the Shelton laboratory. For the safety and health of its employees, Quest must ensure that correct and effective safeguards are in place and in use at all its laboratories.”
OSHA cited the company for 15 “serious” and two “other than serious” violations of workplace safety standards, and proposed levying a $152,435 fine against the company.
Quest now has 15 business days from receipt “to comply, meet with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission,” the statement said.
Employees concerned about their own workplace wellbeing can reach out to regulators at OSHA’s Bridgeport office by calling 203 – 579-5581.
The citations are below.
