Ocean Gold Seafoods Inc is appealing state safety and industrial hygiene citations proposing fines of USD41,800, relating to a September 23, 2008 carbon monoxide poisoning incident at its Ocean Cold processing facility.

On 12 December, workplace regulators from the Washington state department of labour and industry (L&I) issued two citations accusing parent company Ocean Gold of three serious repeat violations, six other serious violations and, not subject to fines, three general violations.

According to the citations, Ocean Gold neglected to inform and train employees about hazardous chemicals in the workplace, provide carbon monoxide hazard communication training, ensure employee completion of forklift operating training, maintain forklifts in accordance with manufacturer requirements, obtain manufacturer permission to remove parts from a forklift, make sure employees wore the installed seat belts and develop an accident prevention plan.

"Ten employees did not receive a safety orientation prior to their job assignments," a citation said.

In addition, the L&I inspection found Ocean Gold did not immediately remove a suspect Mitsubishi model FG25K forklift from service and cited these problems: "propane fuel leakage due to a damaged regulator diaphragm" and "propane supply line connection to the carburetor was not sealed by the use of a clamp or other device en ensure a leak free connection". That citation notes: "using a forklift with leaks in the fuel system exposes the operator and personnel working in the vicinity of the machine to hazards ...".

At the time of the carbon monoxide incident, four propane-powered forklifts in use: two Mitsubishi FG25K models, a Daewoo G25P-3 and a Doosan G25E-3.

A total of 13 propane forklifts were present at the worksite including Mitsubishi, Hyster and Komatsu models, says Elaine Fischer with the L&I department. "The owner believed the problem was caused by two Mitsubishi forklifts."

Westport, Washington-based Ocean Gold will seek to make its case before the state board of industrial insurance appeals. As needed, the board reviews regulatory decisions relating to, among other things, safety citations under the Washington industrial safety and health act. The appeals board may take as long as a year to reach a conclusion.

An Ocean Gold executive did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

In dealing with the September 23 Ocean Cold emergency (Forkliftaction.com News #381), medics at the Grays Harbor Community Hospital treated 29 individuals, of whom 12 were transferred to the Virginia Mason Hospital and Medical Center in Seattle for hyperbaric treatment. Fire and police departments and an ambulance service responded to a 1:26 am call and found workers outside the plant vomiting and experiencing headaches.

In September 2007, the Olympia-based L&I department cited Ocean Gold for another carbon monoxide-poisoning incident, in that case involving a Caterpillar model GC18K forklift. Without appealing, Ocean Gold paid a USD10,050 fine for six serious violations that L&I inspectors identified in their 2007 investigation.