Toluene exposure kills workers, results in fines for company

Health and safety measures are a must to
protect workers and the company itself.

A company is learning a hard lesson about the importance of health and safety: It faces 12 citations for safety violations after a worker died and another was hospitalized in November.

The workers were overcome by fumes from toluene, a toxic chemical.

According to OSHA, the men did not wear any respiratory protection while working with toluene and they were exposed to higher levels than allowed.

The company specializes in coating production and microscreens and uses toluene, a clear and colorless liquid, as a solvent.

OSHA guidelines limit peak toluene exposure to 10 minutes per single time period for any eight-hour shift, with a time weighted average exposure of 200 parts per million.

The small company failed to monitor toluene air concentrations, adjust ventilation systems when working with toluene, control ignition sources, come up with a hazard communication program, offer worker training on the hazards of coating material and implement other safety measures.

The company can respond to the complaint and defend itself.

Source: Wisconsin State Journal

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