Labor Department Fines Pennsylvania Cleaning Solutions Maker for Injuring Workers

A Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, soap and detergent manufacturer faces US$161,310 in federal penalties following a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) investigation of a chemical gas release from its manufacturing plant that sent a dozen workers to the hospital in July 2024.

The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) initiated an inspection on July 11 after being notified by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and AFCO, the facility’s operator, about an incident involving a release of nitrogen dioxide gas. The release occurred when chemicals reacted during processing by AFCO employees. A manufacturing subsidiary of Zep Inc., AFCO is based in Atlanta and specializes in producing and distributing maintenance, cleaning, and sanitation solutions.

OSHA inspectors determined the company had taken no action to assess the impact of the release immediately and did not swiftly evacuate workers from the building as a precaution. Inspectors discovered that workers were exposed to nitrogen dioxide gas levels exceeding the chemical’s ceiling limit, resulting in 12 employees being evaluated at a local hospital, with two of them requiring hospitalization.

Additionally, inspectors determined that the company had no emergency response plan in place, and that its respiratory protection and hazard communication programs failed to meet federal requirements. OSHA has cited AFCO for one repeat violation, and nine serious and two other-than-serious violations.

“AFCO’s lack of urgency in addressing the hazardous conditions put employees at serious risk,” said Kevin T. Chambers, OSHA area director in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. “Employers have a legal responsibility to identify workplace hazards and take immediate action to protect their employees from harm.” 

Since 2022, OSHA has cited Zep for four serious violations for its failures to protect employees at its Emerson, Georgia, facility from hazardous chemicals. Founded in 1937, Zep serves industrial, institutional, retail, and food and beverage customers on six continents.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.