FEBRUARY 17, 2015
Employer name: Covanta Energy Bristol Inc.
Inspection site: 170 Enterprise Rd., Bristol, Conn. 06010
Date inspection initiated: The U.S. Department of
Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration began an
inspection on Oct. 1, 2014, in response to a complaint.
Investigation findings: OSHA cited the plant for 16
serious violations of workplace safety and health standards. These
included: allowing combustible dust to accumulate on ledges, conduits,
floors, guardrails, work platforms and catwalks; failing to determine
employees' exposure level to ash containing toxic metals such as lead,
cadmium and arsenic; inadequate training and protective clothing for an
employee performing testing on live electrical parts; inadequate
safeguards for employees working in confined spaces; lack of an
emergency eyewash for employees working with batteries; as well as fall,
fork truck, air pressure and mechanical hazards.
A serious violation
occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious
physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew
or should have known
Proposed Penalties: $80,100.
Quote: "Covanta Energy Bristol Inc. needlessly
exposed its employees to the hazards of electrocution, fire, falls,
slips and trips, crushing, being trapped or overcome in a confined
space, eye injuries and cancer, lung or kidney damage," said Terence
McEvily, OSHA's acting area director in Hartford. "It must take
effective steps to eliminate these hazards and prevent them from
happening again.
Next Steps: Covanta Energy Bristol Inc. has 15
business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to
comply, meet with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before
the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
To ask
questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint or report
workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent
danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at
800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Hartford Area Office at
860-240-3152.