PRESCOTT, Wis. (WBAY) – The U.S. Department of Labor fined a manufacturer of beauty products in Wisconsin over $275,000 for what it calls “repeated” and “serious” safety violations.
The violations were found after a 55-gallon drum containing nitrocellulose exploded and started a fire involving other flammable liquids at SV Labs Prescott Corp. in western Wisconsin.
An OSHA investigation found SV Labs Prescott didn’t provide new employees with sufficient safety and health training, and new hires didn’t get chemical and respiratory protection training, testing for the fit of respirators, or medical evaluations.
It also found serious violations related to flammable liquids, fire extinguisher training and inspection, forklift training and inspection, electrical hazards, and hazard communication.
Additional citations issued
SV Labs received another six citations for unsafe material handling, lack of training on powered industrial trucks, and recordkeeping violations.
The company is contesting the $275,694 fines.
FDA warning also on record
Government records show SV Labs also received a warning letter from the FDA over violations at the Prescott plant last year unrelated to the explosion. The FDA claimed sunscreen lotion was sent to a customer before thoroughly investigating test results that microbes present were “too numerous to count.”
The FDA also said the company didn’t have written procedures for ensuring uniform quality and purity of its drug products.
The company was asked to address the issues.
SV Labs, which is based in California, is a contract manufacturer of veterinary and over-the-counter drugs and beauty and personal care products for other companies, according to the FDA and ZoomInfo.
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