UPDATED: East Providence Company, Site of Explosion, Has Been Cited for Multiple Health and Environmental Violations in the Past
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UPDATED: East Providence Company, Site of Explosion, Has Been Cited for Multiple Health and Environmental Violations in the Past
Over the past 13 years, Aspen Aerogel's facility in East Providence has been cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) for “serious” worker safety and environmental violations.
A GoLocal review of agency documents has found that the East Providence facility on Dexter Road has been cited for “serious” violations numerous times and, in nearly every case, has paid only a portion of the initially levied penalty.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe facility also suffered a fire in January.
The company spokesman, Neal Baranosky, did not respond to comments about the facility's previous violations.
UPDATED: East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva told GoLocal in a phone interview on Thursday that he was unaware of the company's previous violations.
"I had no idea. We will be reviewing this," said DaSilva.
Here is a breakdown of the violations and penalties since 2013.
2023
In 2023, the company ultimately settled for $47,875
In one instance, OSHA found:
The employer did not ensure that all places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces are kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition. Facility at 3 Dexter Road EAST PROVIDENCE, RI in the finishing area: a. On or about April 4, 2023, the employer did not ensure all places of employment, including but not limited to the finishing area, were kept clean in that, the employer allowed combustible dust to accumulate on the floors, equipment, ovens, duct work, electrical conduits and boxes .
In a second ”serious” violation, the company was cited for:
A respirator was not provided by the employer to each employee when such equipment was necessary to protect the health of the employee. Facility at 3 Dexter Road EAST PROVIDENCE, RI in the finishing area: a. On or about April 4, 2023, the employer did not provide respirators to employees that worked in the finishing area, for job tasks including, but not limited to, water jet operators, for protection against exposures to Particulates Not Otherwise Regulated (PNOR) for total dust. At a minimum, a N95 NIOSH-certified filtering facepiece respirator is necessary to protect employees from Particulates Not Otherwise Regulated (PNOR) for total dust.
And the third “Serious” violation was:
Respirators with tight-fitting facepieces were worn by employees who had facial hair that came between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interfered with valve function. Facility at 3 Dexter Road EAST PROVIDENCE, RI in the finishing area: a. On or about April 4, 2023, employees that worked in the finishing area, for job tasks including but not limited to coater operators, had facial hair and wore tight fitting N95 filtering facepiece respirators for protection against exposures to Particulates Not Otherwise Regulated (PNOR) for total dust and respirable dust. Personal breathing zone sampling was conducted on the coater operator (EE C) and was found to be overexposed to PNOR for total dust and respirable dust while wearing an N95 with a full beard.
2023
Also in 2023, the company was cited by OSHA for a violation with an $11,162 penalty, and that was ultimately settled for an $8,000 penalty.
2019
In 2019, the company was cited and initially penalized $7,500 by OSHA. That penalty was negotiated down to $5,303.90.
The company was cited for:
Respirators with tight-fitting facepieces were worn by employees who had facial hair that came between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interfered with valve function: (a) Slitting Operation: On or about 9/26/19 respirators with tight-fitting facepieces were worn by employees who had facial hair that came between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interfered with valve function.
2016
Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management cited Aspen Aerogels for multiple air violations. That case began in early 2015 and was ultimately settled for $5,500 in a consent decree between the state and the company in 2016.
2014
In 2014, the company was cited by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. In this case, the company signed a consent decree and agreed to pay $7,500 in administrative penalties to the state.
2013
The company was initially fined by OSHA initially $10,890 for “serious” violations. The case was settled for a $5,000 penalty.