OSHA Fines Pharmaceutical Company for Violations

Provident Pharmaceuticals, which manufactures tablets and syrups, was cited for seven serious violations with a proposed penalty of $17,500, six willful violations with a proposed penalty of $234,000 and one other violation with no penalty. OSHA started its investigation on Aug. 16, 2006.

"Employers must provide a safe and healthful working environment and ensure that all employees are protected from hazardous conditions," said John Healy, OSHA area office director in Englewood, Colo. "This employer is well aware of the standards that will protect employees from the hazards we found during our inspection, yet did not comply with them."

The alleged serious health violations include:

• Employee exposure to hazardous levels of methscopolamine nitrate (MSN).
• An inadequate respiratory protection program.
• A lack of eye/face protection.
• Housekeeping and sanitation deficiencies.
• Unguarded rotating shafts.
• Confined space hazards.
• Lockout/tagout violations.
• Unguarded live electrical parts.
• Lack of electrical cord strain relief.
• Lack of a chemical hygiene plan.

The alleged willful safety violations address a fall hazard, lack of personal protective clothing, lack of forklift training, inadequate machine guarding, improper electrical receptacles used in wet or damp locations and the lack of chemical hazard information training. The other alleged violation is for recordkeeping deficiencies.

A call made to Provident Pharmaceuticals was not returned.