The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Bulkmatic Transport Company late last month for multiple violations totaling $59,000 in proposed penalties. The agency inspected the company's Chattanooga, TN, bulk transfer terminal after an employee was burned with acid, according to an OSHA press release.

On Jan. 3, a loader was transferring sulfuric acid from a railroad car into a tanker truck when the hose connection failed. The man was sprayed with the acid, causing chemical burns over 50 percent of his body.

OSHA inspected the facility and found six serious safety violations with penalties totaling $33,000.

The safety violations are for failing to:

a.. install proper adapters and connections for the material being transferred;
b.. fully develop an emergency response plan;
c.. provide readily available emergency eye wash and shower facilities;
d.. assure that employees wore eye and face protection;
e.. provide employee training in the proper use of respirators, and
f.. supply NIOSH-certified respirators.

A serious violation is one in which there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and that the employer knew or should have known of the hazard.

"This company had been cited before for exposing employees to hazardous chemicals," Roberto Sanchez, Nashville's acting area director for OSHA, said in a released statement. "The injured employee was not outfitted with proper personal protective equipment and the employee responding to the accident did not receive adequate emergency response training."

Bulkmatic, which has facilities nationwide, has been inspected eight times by OSHA, according to the press release. Two previous inspections found respiratory protection violations.

The Griffith, IN-based company was cited for two repeat violations with proposed penalties totaling $25,000 for failing to implement a respiratory protection program, including proper employee medical evaluations, respirator fit-testing and training. An additional $1,000 penalty was proposed for not properly maintaining an injury and illness log and for not having an up-to-date copy on site.

Jo Anne Burgoyne, with the Department of Labor public affairs office, told Land Line that Bulkmatic has contested the citations and proposed penalties.

Bulkmatic is the fifth largest bulk carrier in the United States, hauling bulk liquid, dry and specialty freight. The company employs 800 truckdrivers nationwide with 52 terminals in 17 states.