OSHA lassos Bull Stud Facility for Exposing Workers to Harmful Chemicals

An employee death at a bull stud facility triggered an inspection by OSHA and a proposed penalty of $122,602.

On Nov. 20, 2019, 20-year-old employee of Custom Genetic Solutions died at the Mitchell facility from asphyxiation after being exposed to liquid nitrogen, according to The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.

Inspectors found employees filled containers daily and cryogenic freezers weekly with liquid nitrogen. OSHA determined the company failed to implement safety measures, such as oxygen monitoring or ventilation to ensure the rapidly expanding liquid nitrogen did not displace the oxygen in the room.

The company also allegedly failed to train employees on potential health and physical hazards from working with nitrogen gas, and on how to detect the accumulation and release of the gas in freezers weekly. And OSHA cited Custom Genetic Solutions for failing to properly train its employees on the risks of working with the material or how to detect levels of the gas in a room.