Letter to Secretary R. Alexander Acosta, United States Department of Labor - Improve Coordination & Communication System with Local governments, Fire Departments, and First Responders, when a Company is Cited with Serious Violations, Especially with Flammable and Combustible Materials

Letter

Dear Secretary Acosta:

I write to urge you to direct the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish and implement a system of notifying local governments when companies are cited for violations involving flammable and combustible materials that the agency deems serious.

In November 2017, Verla International, a cosmetics company in New Windsor, NY, had a chemical explosion and fire that left 40 workers injured and 1 dead. Official reports have made clear that the cause of the explosion was accidental, but it has also been reported that it could have been easily preventable. Local officials, including the fire department, in New Windsor, were surprised to learn after the incident that only a few months earlier Verla was cited for several serious OSHA violations, some involving the storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids. Our first responders walked blindly into a hazardous scene, which sadly, resulted in the injury of more individuals.

Currently, OSHA does not proactively reach out to local governments regarding the issue of a citation and I believe that should change for matters involving flammable and combustible liquids, which the agency deems serious. Across the country, fire departments range from career to volunteer forces. The more information they have about what is happening in their communities, they better they can ensure firefighters have the equipment and resources to adequately address a potential incident in the future. Further, advanced notification for violations involving flammable and combustible liquids would give local fire departments and emergency response agencies the chance to inspect properties and work in cooperation with a company to proactively prevent accidents.

In the past, OSHA has shown a commitment to improving transparency and communication believing that more information will encourage employers and workers to improve systems and protocols in regards to worker safety. Establishing a system of notifying local governments of serious violations specifically involving flammable and combustible materials would go a long way in strengthening this commitment. I strongly urge you to take immediate action in establishing this system. In the future, this cooperation between federal and local governments could save a life.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer

U.S. Senator

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