A worker tragically lost their life at a Twinsburg, Ohio facility after Clean Harbors Environmental Services Inc. failed to follow key safety rules. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) stepped in and found that the company didn’t properly ventilate a confined space filled with organic chemical residue. This lack of ventilation created a deadly hazard for the employee.
OSHA’s investigation revealed that Clean Harbors did not meet required safety standards for permit-required confined spaces. The company failed to test the air quality before entry and didn’t use necessary rescue equipment like a tripod, mechanical winch, or full-body retrieval harness. These safety lapses are serious since confined spaces with hazardous chemicals can quickly become dangerous without the right precautions.
Due to these violations, OSHA cited Clean Harbors with three willful safety breaches and proposed fines totaling $602,938. Willful violations mean the company knew about the risks but ignored them, leading to this fatal outcome. The case serves as a reminder about the critical importance of following safety guidelines exactly, especially in high-risk environments.
Clean Harbors provides environmental and hazardous waste cleanup services. This incident is a stark example of how skipping safety steps can have deadly consequences. OSHA’s enforcement aims to hold companies accountable and prevent similar tragedies in the future.