Ice cream manufacturer fined $145K after OSHA investigates report of ammonia release
An OSHA investigation has determined that AJLS Enterprises Inc., which operates as Schoep’s Ice Cream, lacked necessary process safety management procedures to control the release of hazardous chemicals. The investigation began after a report alleged that workers were being exposed to anhydrous ammonia, a chemical used in the refrigeration process, at the ice cream plant. Exposure to the chemical can lead to respiratory issues, as well as burns to the skin and eyes. OSHA investigators found that the company failed to “document that equipment was being operated consistent with best engineering processes, update processes following audits and respond to changes in the process.”
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AJLS Enterprises faces 12 serious citations, including a lack of lockout/tagout processes and machine guarding, failing to provide a written hazard communication plan, and not properly training workers on safety practices, including LOTO. The company faces $145,097 in penalties.
In a recent quote, OSHA Area Director Chad Greenwood said, “Employers must continually evaluate their engineering processes and train workers on how to safely operate equipment. Every employer should embrace safety and health as a core value in their establishment.”
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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