Sept. 9, 2014: OSHA Cites Anheuser-Busch for Refrigeration System Violations
Inspection Finds Repeat and Serious Violations; $92,400 Fine Proposed
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Anheuser-Busch Cos. LLC has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for two repeat and eight serious safety violations following an inspection of its Columbus, Ohio, brewery’s ammonia refrigeration system. Proposed penalties total $92,400.
The violations were cited under OSHA’s Process Safety Management Standards, which contain specific requirements for managing highly hazardous chemicals in work processes. One of these chemicals is anhydrous ammonia, widely used as a refrigerant in industrial facilities, including breweries. Ammonia can be a health hazard because it is corrosive to the skin, eyes, and lungs. It is a flammable vapor.