Employee Complaint Brings OSHA Citations at Quad’s Plant in Atglen, PA

ATGLEN, PA—Jan. 3, 2012—The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited “QG LLC” (Quad/Graphics, formerly World Color) for eight serious violations of the process safety management standards at its facility in Atglen, PA, in response to an employee complaint. Proposed penalties total $54,000.

“Process safety management prevents the unexpected release of toxic, reactive or flammable liquids and gases in processes involving highly hazardous chemicals,” said Albert D’Imperio, OSHA’s area director in Philadelphia. “It’s vital that QG ensure safeguards are in place to protect the safety of workers at this facility.”

The serious citations issued for the process safety management standard violations include failing to:

• provide information pertaining to the equipment being used,
• establish written operating procedures and safe work practices,
• conduct employee training,
• conduct a pre-start up safety review,
• implement written procedures for ongoing integrity,
• develop procedures for management of change,
• certify that compliance was evaluated at least every three years, and
• ensure that installations of equipment in hazardous locations were intrinsically safe or approved for the hazardous location.

A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

OSHA’s standards contain specific requirements for the management of hazards associated with processes using dangerous chemicals. Additional information is available online.

The web offset printing company with approximately 240 employees has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, ask for an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at (800) 321-OSHA [6742] or the agency’s Philadelphia office at (215) 597-4955.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance.

Source: OSHA.