Rohm and Haas fined for safety violations

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has fined Rohm and Haas Electronics Material $129,000 for safety violations that led to an explosion in January 2016 explosion, in which four workers were injured.

The January explosion occurred as plant employees were reclaiming cylinders by purging residual trimethylaluminium, which can ignite spontaneously in air.

The investigation identified 11 workplace safety violations, eight of which are deemed ‘serious’. These include improper storage of flammable liquids, stowing propane cylinders close to an area where there was a high probability of fire or explosion, and failure to empty a waste container of flammable liquids on a daily basis. The OSHA had cited Rohm and Haas for similar hazards in 2014.

OSHA also identified two repeat violations, which involved failure to use personal protective equipment, and failure to assess the workplace to determine when such gear is necessary.