OSHA is getting involved now.....

[kingdm]

I don't know the circumstances behind the complaint that triggered the inspection (be it a disgruntled employee or someone who opposes E-cigs) but now the seed has been planted. I work for Boar's Head Provisions (the deli meat) managing their Process Safety Management program (OSHA required program for their ammonia refrigeration system). A large part of my job is following the trends of OSHA's citations, with OSHA losing federal funding they are getting very aggressive with their citations, I would consider this fair warning to all the suppliers, cover your 6 as far as your safety practices go. We don't need another government agency causing us headaches. You can actually view the citations at the link below, there are 2 different PDFs you can view.

2013 - 03/27/2013 - US Labor Department's OSHA fines Lakewood, NJ, manufacturer nearly $185,000 for exposing workers to chemical, other hazards

 

[pianoguy]

That all sounds like pretty basic stuff to me - if they weren't adhering to those standards, they were asking for trouble.

 

[kingdm]

That all sounds like pretty basic stuff to me - if they weren't adhering to those standards, they were asking for trouble.

Agreed, just giving the heads up to everyone.

 

[rockymtnrobin]

That all sounds like pretty basic stuff to me - if they weren't adhering to those standards, they were asking for trouble.

Well now they will. OSHA will be their worse nightmare!

 

[bsidb]

Thats another way to tarnish the whole e-cig industry to any outsider, a few OSHA raids with citiations

 

[WillyB]

Yea I just contacted my USA juice supplier (great CS, he always picks up the phone) and he said not to worry.

He is currently airing out the lab, he no longer will be feeding the dog while mixing, at least not tacos.

We need to eliminate all these regulatory agencies, all they do is stifle American business.

 

[POSEIDON]

There are some major issues in that report. Several fire causing dangers, a lack of markings for exits(while this may seem stupid to some, if you have ever been in a building on fire you cant see .... and markings will help get your ... out and safe), a fire exit being held open with a fire extinguisher(REALLY???), employees not being made to wear(or provided with) gloves and eye protection(nicotine is a toxic chemical when undiluted and can be absorbed through the skin).
This is a good thing. When companies put employees in a workplace such as that, what type of care do you think they have for their product? This is a company that doesn't give two rats asses about you, me, or their employees.

And after checking their(esmoke) website these .......s are gougers. Good for OSHA, I hope these idiots are put out of business.

 

[Bill Godshall]

Virtually every employer in the US with over 20 employees is in violation of dozens of OSHA regulations.

I'd bet that most or all federal government buildings (including those where OSHA staff have offices) are also in violation of dozens of OSHA regulations (but OSHA doesn't go after them because it would embarrass the Labor Secretary and the Administration).

OSHA regulations (and fines for violators) have increased significantly in recent decades, with many unnecessary overkill regulations that have done little if anything to improve worker safety (because workers in most occupations already face very little safety risks).

The contractor who remodeled our bathroom told me he was fined $50,000 by OSHA for multiple violations (that he didn't even know were violations) at an outdoor construction site. After reading lots of OSHA regulations, he told me that complying with every OSHA regulation would reduce each employee's production by about 30% (because they'd have to spend several hours each day just complying with OSHA regs that did little or nothing to protect workers).

And sometimes complying with OSHA regs increases safety risks at workplace. I remember working in an iron foundry during summers when in college (back in the 1970's) and we were required by OSHA to wear safety eye glasses at all times. Unfortunately, whenever we broke the molds to retrieve and gather the hot iron castings (about 500 degrees Farenheit), the hot vapor that was released would fog up our safety glasses so bad that we couldn't see anything (including the hot castings we were picking up with very thick gloves), which dramatically increased our risks of being severely burned by the hot iron (especially because we had to walk through a field of many dozen recently poured molds containing white hot liquid iron (2,700 degrees Farenheit) carrying the cooled off castings (each of which typically weighed 5 - 20 lbs). One wrong step or fall could have been deadly (so seeing what you are carrying and where you are walking is critically important, but it was also an OSHA violation).

On several occasions, after being notified (or tipped off) about an upcoming OSHA inspection, the foundry's management shut down the entire foundry for a day, and all workers were reassigned to eliminate as many OSHA violations as possible. I painted lots of lines on the floor, posted lots of safety signs, had many fire extinguishers refilled, and moved lots of iron castings from walkways and near exits.

Good thing that foundry burned down (a suspicious fire), as it would be in violation of several thousand OSHA regulations today.

 

[Berylanna]

Virtually every employer in the US with over 20 employees is in violation of dozens of OSHA regulations.

I'd bet that most or all federal government buildings (including those where OSHA staff have offices) are also in violation of dozens of OSHA regulations (but OSHA doesn't go after them because it would embarrass the Labor Secretary and the Administration).

OSHA regulations (and fines for violators) have increased significantly in recent decades, with many unnecessary overkill regulations that have done little if anything to improve worker safety (because workers in most occupations already face very little safety risks).

It would still be good to post this on the e-liquid forum to give vendors a heads-up. I feel sure "my" vendors are doing things safely but they need to know to get someone to give them a PRIVATE heads-up about following the LETTER of these laws as much as possible. How can that be done? It used to be one's insurance company could help with that, but I don't know if that would be risky for e-liquid vendors?

I admit it has been a few (cough!) decades, but I used to work in a small LED company that was run by the type of businessman they call "cowboys" that figured if they had done something safely ONCE, it was safe for us to do all day every day.

I went to the E.R. three times, and I was one of the lucky ones that had no permanent damage that I know of. I was only exposed to a few things that probably have damaged my lungs and brain, and my chemical burns turned out to be nitric acid, thank heaven, instead of hydroflouric.acid. Others lost hands, fingers, and for any that worked there 5 years instead of 1.5, permanent health changes.

I will admit, however, that OSHA couldn't even fix any of those things, it was their INSURANCE company that had the clout to make them fix a few things, like the metal dust in the air that was turning everybody's noses black inside.

 

[Elnroth]

It would still be good to post this on the e-liquid forum to give vendors a heads-up. I feel sure "my" vendors are doing things safely but they need to know to get someone to give them a PRIVATE heads-up about following the LETTER of these laws as much as possible. How can that be done? It used to be one's insurance company could help with that, but I don't know if that would be risky for e-liquid vendors?

I admit it has been a few (cough!) decades, but I used to work in a small LED company that was run by the type of businessman they call "cowboys" that figured if they had done something safely ONCE, it was safe for us to do all day every day.

I went to the E.R. three times, and I was one of the lucky ones that had no permanent damage that I know of. I was only exposed to a few things that probably have damaged my lungs and brain, and my chemical burns turned out to be nitric acid, thank heaven, instead of hydroflouric.acid. Others lost hands, fingers, and for any that worked there 5 years instead of 1.5, permanent health changes.

I will admit, however, that OSHA couldn't even fix any of those things, it was their INSURANCE company that had the clout to make them fix a few things, like the metal dust in the air that was turning everybody's noses black inside.

OSHA can't make you do anything. They can only cite you. OSHA only has the ability to bully small companies. A lot a large companies ignore a lot of minor OSHA regulations because the fines cost less than the operating cost of following certain OSHA regulations.

 

[Berylanna]

OSHA can't make you do anything. They can only cite you. OSHA only has the ability to bully small companies. A lot a large companies ignore a lot of minor OSHA regulations because the fines cost less than the operating cost of following certain OSHA regulations.

Unfortunately, I would smoke if it were not for some VERY small companies that cannot afford fines like that! And if OSHA is bullying people, I'd like to see some padding around our favorite companies! Does anybody know an inexpensive way to check oneself for a "letter-of-the-law"-type vulnerability to big fines?

 

[Elnroth]

Unfortunately, I would smoke if it were not for some VERY small companies that cannot afford fines like that! And if OSHA is bullying people, I'd like to see some padding around our favorite companies! Does anybody know an inexpensive way to check oneself for a "letter-of-the-law"-type vulnerability to big fines?

Pay big money for a good ops manager?

 

[mostlyclassics]

I'd bet that most or all federal government buildings (including those where OSHA staff have offices) are also in violation of dozens of OSHA regulations (but OSHA doesn't go after them because it would embarrass the Labor Secretary and the Administration).

Bill, isn't it the case that, whenever Congress passes a law or OHSA (or whatever federal agency) promulgates a regulation, they almost automatically waive governmental compliance?

 

[Elnroth]

Bill, isn't it the case that, whenever Congress passes a law or OHSA (or whatever federal agency) promulgates a regulation, they almost automatically waive governmental compliance?

You mean like laws against insider trading?

 

[Bill Godshall]

Government agencies and officials are often exempted from laws and regulations that apply to everyone else.

 

[junkman]

Yeah, I am sure that all the OSHA bashers above are correct in some circumstances, but sounds to me like in this circumstance they were just not following good practices. Practices that I would want them to be following if they worked for me or if I bought juice from them.

 

[kingdm]

Government agencies and officials are often exempted from laws and regulations that apply to everyone else.

which is unconstitutional....

 

[POSEIDON]

Government agencies and officials are often exempted from laws and regulations that apply to everyone else.

That is untrue. The Navy is kept to EPA standards.

 

[TomCatt]

Unfortunately, I would smoke if it were not for some VERY small companies that cannot afford fines like that! And if OSHA is bullying people, I'd like to see some padding around our favorite companies! Does anybody know an inexpensive way to check oneself for a "letter-of-the-law"-type vulnerability to big fines?

Compliance Safety Training - Earn CEUs and your Certificate in OSHA Compliance

 

[rockymtnrobin]

Compliance Safety Training - Earn CEUs and your Certificate in OSHA Compliance

And then follow it!