OSHA Cites Manufacturer After Fatal Explosion

A U.S. Department of Labor investigation found that a Massachusetts pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturer and its parent company could have prevented an employee’s death.

The PolyCarbon Industries Inc./SEQENS SAS employee suffered fatal injuries from an explosion on May 4, 2023.

An investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that the manufacturer lacked required safeguards in a chemical manufacturing process. 

OSHA identified numerous deficiencies in the facility’s process safety management program for highly hazardous chemicals for the production and drying of a chemical product called Dekon 139 and for combustible dust hazards. 

During the process, a pressure vessel exploded causing the employee’s fatal injuries.

Violations

Specifically, OSHA investigators found that PolyCarbon/SEQENS did not:

• Determine the combustibility hazards of materials used in the Dekon 139 production process
• Include safe upper and lower temperature limits to prevent the decomposition of Dekon 139
• Evaluate the consequences of deviation in the Dekon 139 production process
• Establish written procedures to maintain the ongoing integrity of process equipment and provide clear instruction on consequences of deviation from steps in the operating procedures
• Update the process safety information to include steps to avoid consequences of deviation in temperature, properties and hazards of the chemicals used in the process
• Update standard operating procedures for producing Dekon 139 and its safety data sheet
• Review a November 2022 compliance audit report with all affected personnel whose job tasks are relevant to the report findings
• Track contract employee’s injury and illnesses related to the contractor’s work in the process areas

OSHA cited PolyCarbon Industries Inc./SEQENS SAS for 11 violations.

The agency assessed $298,254 in proposed penalties.