OSHA Inspection: AIRGAS USA, LLC

Issued

2025-12-16 00:00:00

Abate by

2026-04-01 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $16550.00 · Current $16550.00

Hazardous substances 0170

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.120(q)(1):The employer, who would evacuate employees from the danger area when an emergency occurred and would not permit any employees to assist in handling the emergency, did not provide an emergency action plan in accordance with 1910.38:  a) On or about June 22, 2025, and at times prior, employees were exposed to toxic inhalation hazards from anhydrous ammonia in that the employer did not ensure that the emergency action plan was in accordance with 1910.38(c)(1) and 1910.38(c)(2) when employees would need to evacuate from a danger area when an emergency occurred. Procedures for reporting fire or other emergencies were not outlined for the weekends when employees did not have access to a telephone,  emergency evacuation including exit route assignments did not include shelter in place procedures for emergency anhydrous ammonia release, alternate evacuation points and routes were not provided based on the direction of the wind, and  notification procedures to alert employees when shelter in place was required were not outlined.

Issued

2025-12-16 00:00:00

Abate by

2026-04-01 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 0170

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.165(b)(5): The employer shall establish procedures for sounding emergency alarms in the workplace. For those employers with 10 or fewer employees in a particular workplace, direct voice communication is an acceptable procedure for sounding the alarm provided all employees can hear the alarm. Such workplaces need not have a back-up system:  a) On or about June 22, 2025, and at times prior, the employer did not establish procedures for sounding emergency alarms in the workplace.

Issued

2025-12-16 00:00:00

Abate by

2026-04-01 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7093.00 · Current $7093.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(e)(1)(i):The employer did not compile a list of the hazardous chemicals known to be present using a product identifier that was referenced on the appropriate safety data sheet.  a) On or about June 24, 2025, and at times prior the employer did not compile a list of the hazardous chemicals known to be present using a product identifier that was referenced on the appropriate safety data sheet in that the employer's chemical inventory list did not include liquid carbon dioxide, anhydrous ammonia, and dry ice (carbon dioxide, solid) with hazards including but not limited to gases under pressure, simple asphyxiant, flammable gas, acute toxicity inhalation category 4, skin corrosion/irritation category 1B, and serious eye damage category 1.

Issued

2025-12-16 00:00:00

Abate by

2026-04-01 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(e)(2):The employer that produced, used, or stored hazardous chemicals at the workplace in such a way that employees of other employer(s) could be exposed did not ensure that the hazard communication program included all of the elements outlined in 29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(2)(i) through 29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(2)(iii).  a) On or about June 22, 2025, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that the hazard communication program included all of the elements outlined in 29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(2)(i) through 29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(2)(iii), when the employer produced dry ice inside the Messer LLC plant. Airgas USA, LLC produced, used, or stored chemicals including but not limited to dry ice, AW 68 hydraulic fluid. propylene glycol, loctite 545, loctite 569, PVC cement, and diesel with hazards including but not limited to causes skin irritation, may cause an allergic skin reaction, causes serious eye irritation, suspected of causing cancer, may cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure.

Issued

2025-12-16 00:00:00

Abate by

2026-04-01 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(h)(1):Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area.  a) On or about June 24, 2025, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that employees were provided with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area, when employees  hazardous chemicals used and in their work area included but were not limited to : liquid carbon dioxide, anhydrous ammonia, and dry ice (carbon dioxide solid) with hazards including but not limited to:  gases under pressure, simple asphyxiant, flammable gas, acute toxicity inhalation category 4, skin corrosion/irritation category 1B, and serious eye damage category 1.

Issued

2025-12-16 00:00:00

Abate by

2026-04-01 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2364.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1904.29(b)(3): Each recordable injury or illness was not entered on the OSHA 300 Log and/or an incident report (OSHA Form 301or equivalent) within seven (7) calendar days of receiving information that a recordable injury or illness has occurred:   a) The employer did not enter each recordable injury on the OSHA 300 log within seven calendar days of receiving information that a recordable injury or illness had occurred, in that on June 22, 2025, 4 employees were transported to the hospital and received medical treatment after being exposed to anhydrous ammonia vapors and experiencing symptoms such as but not limited to burning of the eyes, throat, and difficulty breathing.