OSHA Cites Snack Manufacturer for Carbon Monoxide Exposure

photo of justiceStar Snacks Co. LLC has received numerous citations by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for exposing their workers to dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.

The company’s willful violations amount to $140,000 for failing to protect their workers from carbon monoxide.

“A forklift operator was overexposed to carbon monoxide and hospitalized in 2007, but Star Snacks Co. still doesn’t have the necessary safeguards in place to protect its employees from carbon monoxide and other workplace hazards,” said OSHA’s director of the Parsippany-area office.

Carbon monoxide can be fatal in large doses, so addressing reports of overexposure is critical. Symptoms of overexposure to carbon monoxide can include:

  • dizziness
  • headache
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • loss of consciousness
  • death

The roasted nut manufacturer has several options to help monitor their carbon monoxide levels. According to OSHA, employers should install an effective ventilation system, keep fuel-burning equipment out of enclosed spaces, and install detectors in problem areas to keep workers safe.

The company was also cited for $40,000 in noise violations after failing to protect their workers from hearing loss in loud areas.  Management failed to provide suitable hearing protection or to make sure that workers who experienced hearing loss had been refitted and retrained in how to use it.

Noise-related hearing loss continues to be one of the most common health concerns of workers in the United States. In 2011, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported more than 20,000 cases of work-related hearing loss.

Labor Law Attorneys in New Jersey

At work, it is your employer’s responsibility to keep you safe. If your workplace exposes you to harmful chemicals or makes you work in dangerous conditions, call Spevack Law Firm to discuss your case. Our workers comp attorneys believe that every employee has the right to work in a safe environment.

[Did You Know: Carbon monoxide is a chemical asphyxiant, meaning that it prevents oxygen from reaching tissues in your body, which can be deadly.]

Spevack Law Firm – Middlesex County Personal Injury Lawyers

Source: https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=25989

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