Furthermore, the company claimed that the OSHA officer did not observe the area for a long enough period of time to conclude that the paints were not being used. In addition, the company's argument about the brief length of time that the OSHA officer spent observing the paint area proved inconsequential to the case. It was clear to the ALJ that the paint containers were definitely left open longer than necessary to accomplish a specific task. The ALJ also pointed out that the company created a potential fire and explosion hazard by leaving the containers uncovered. The ALJ concluded that it was not unreasonable to expect that the containers be covered in light of the volatile nature of their contents.
Hazardous materials are commonplace in workplaces.
Yet precautions are not always followed to guarantee the safe handling and storage of hazardous substances, such as flammable and combustible liquids. The company was misguided in its belief that its equipment was located too far away from the paint storage area to be a concern. Both flammable and combustible liquids produce vapors that can, under certain circumstances, ignite easily and burn rapidly. You can help keep a lid on potentially explosive situations by carefully following storage requirements for flammables and combustibles. You'll find more real-world strategies for complying with complex and changing safety requirements in Safety Compliance Letter .