Region 2 News Release:   NY 174
August 12, 1999
Contact: Chester J. Fultz
PHONE: 212-337-2319

The U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited P.O.P. Displays Inc., of 11-12 30th Drive, Long Island City, New York, and proposed penalties of $132,500 against the firm for 41 alleged serious and three alleged other-than-serious violations of OSHA standards. The company has until August 25 to contest the citations.

According to OSHA area director Anthony J. DiSiervi, the action results from an investigation begun February 5 following a complaint of safety and health hazards at the firm, which manufactures plastic display cases. The assembly process involves an adhesive which is 90 percent methylene chloride.

"Employees exposed to methylene chloride are at increased risk of developing cancer, skin, and eye irritation, and suffering adverse effects on the heart, liver, and central nervous system," DiSiervi said. "There is no excuse for the employer not to take proper precautions and provide training to minimize the employees' exposure."

The alleged serious violations for which the employer was cited included:

• overexposing employees to methylene chloride and failing to have required monitoring, leak detection, respiratory protection and other protective equipment, spill clean-up procedures, employee information and training, and other methylene chloride protective measures;
• allowing employees to eat in an area where the level of methylene chloride exceed permissible exposure limits;
• failure to provide fire extinguisher training;
• failure to have an emergency response plan;
• failure to maintain means of egress;
• failure to properly guard moving parts on machines;
• failure to properly store cylinders of compressed gas;
• failure to provide fire extinguisher training;
• having a fire exit that discharged into a locked yard.

The firm was also cited for having inadequate rest room facilities, failing to maintain OSHA injury and illness logs, and not informing employees in writing of health monitoring results, three alleged other-than-serious violations carrying a total proposed penalty of $4,000.

The serious violations carry a total proposed penalty of $128,500.

A serious violation is defined as a condition which exists where there is a substantial possibility that death or serious physical harm can result. An other-than-serious violation is a hazardous condition that would probably not cause death or serious physical harm but would have a direct and immediate relationship to the safety and health of employees.

The investigation was conducted by OSHA's Bayside area office, located at 42-40 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, New York, telephone (718) 279-9060.