Chemical manufacturer fined $289K by OSHA for 67 health and safety violations
An OSHA investigation has determined that Southern Industrial Chemicals Inc., which operates as SIC Technologies, exposed its workers to a variety of workplace hazards. The chemical manufacturer, which compounds custom chemical products at its Atlanta facility, was cited for 67 serious violations related to chemicals and struck-by hazards. These violations include failing to implement controls to reduce employee exposures to chemicals, including hexavalent chromium; not having a hazard communication program for the handling and use of hazardous chemicals; and failing to provide suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body. In addition to chemical-related violations, it was discovered that the facility lacked energy control programs, did not train and certify employees operating industrial trucks, and failed to guard a bandsaw. The company faces $289,439 in proposed penalties.
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In a recent quote, OSHA Atlanta-West Area Office Director Jeffery Stawowy said, "Southern Industrial Chemicals failed to make employee safety and health a priority. Chemical exposures can lead to incurable and life-altering conditions, so it's vital that employers take immediate steps to recognize and mitigate life-threatening hazards like those found in this investigation. Employers must evaluate and effectively control respiratory hazards in the workplace and establish a hazard communication program that meets or exceeds federal safety standards to protect workers. Our hazard communication overview provides employers with the knowledge to get this done and make their workplaces safer for all."
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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