A South Dakota bull stud facility faces penalties of more than $122,000 after being cited by federal officials following a worker fatality.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Custom Genetic Solutions LLC in Mitchell, South Dakota, for exposing workers to hazardous chemicals and toxic substances after an employee fatality.
The company faces penalties of $122,602 for two willful and three serious violations.
OSHA received an employer-reported referral from Custom Genetic Solutions LLC that an employee asphyxiated from lack of oxygen due to the use of liquid nitrogen in the facility. Inspectors found that employees filled containers daily and cryogenic freezers weekly with liquid nitrogen.
OSHA determined the company failed to implement safety measures, such as oxygen monitoring or ventilation to ensure that the rapidly expanding liquid nitrogen did not displace the oxygen in the room. Additionally, the company failed to train employees on potential health and physical hazards from working with nitrogen gas, and on how to detect the accumulation and release of the gas.
The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Source: OSHA
Topics Workers' Compensation
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
QBE to Non-Renew $500M of North American Mid-Market Biz 
Zurich to Buy AIG’s Travel Insurance Business for $600 Million 
Big ‘I’ Report: Independent Agency Channel Placed 62% of Premiums in 2023 
BlackSuit Cybercrime Gang Blamed in CDK Hack That Roiled Car Dealers 
