OSHA cites SV Labs Prescott Corp. for explosion

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a citation March 18 for SV Labs Prescott Corp. for violations connected to an explosion at a Wisconsin factory. According to OSHA, a 55-gallon fiber drum of nitrocellulose at one of the company’s beauty products factories exploded and started a fire. The citation has been contested by SV Prescott Labs, a contract manufacturer of veterinary, over-the-counter drugs, and beauty products

Nitrocellulose is a white solid, sometimes stored in water or alcohol, with an NFPA health hazard rating of 2, a flammability rating of 3, and a reactivity hazard rating of 3 when dry. It’s commonly used as an ingredient in producing lacquers, beauty products and nail polish.

In its Thursday release, OSHA said SV Labs is liable for failing to properly train new employees in health and safety protocols, including chemical and respiratory protection, respirator fit testing and medical evaluation. Those translated into two repeat violations for respirator protection and hazard communication and ten serious violations on safe handling of flammable liquids, fire extinguisher training, forklift training and inspections, electrical hazards and hazard communications, leading to a total of $275,964 in fines, though that number may change if SV Prescott Labs’ contest of the charges is successful.

The lab has also previously landed in hot water with the Food and Drug Administration. In December 2025, the FDA warned the California-based SV Labs that an inspection of its Prescott, Wisconsin lab conducted June 2025 found it was in violation of Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations for pharmaceutical production. In its letter, the FDA said SV Labs had failed to provide sufficient process control documentation showing its products met purported and regulated quality and purity standards, had not shown its water system was up to specification for use in pharmaceutical processes, and had released a batch of sunscreen lotion without adequately investigating detected microbial contamination (the sunscreen was later recalled by the FDA). The agency recommended SV Labs hire a consultant to bring the lab back into compliance.

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