In an effort to help protect workers, emergency responders, and communities surrounding
establishments in the agricultural retail and supply industry, a new alliance has been formed
between the United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Fertilizer Safety and Health
Partners. This alliance will primarily focus on the safe storage and handling of fertilizers such as
anhydrous ammonia and ammonium nitrate.
“Incidents such as the horrific explosion at the West Fertilizer Company in West, Texas, that
killed 15 people including emergency response personnel, highlight the hazards in storing and
handling ammonium nitrate,” said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for
occupational safety and health. “These tragedies are preventable and this alliance shows that we
are working together to address hazards, prevent injuries and save lives.”
This alliance will emphasize sharing emergency response information among agricultural
business establishments, first responders, and surrounding community. The alliance will also aim
to improve safety at chemical facilities, reduce potential hazardous chemical risks, and educate
workers about hazardous chemicals. These changes will help bring the industry in line with
Executive Order 13650: Improving Chemical Facility Safety and Security, which was signed by
President Obama after the West Fertilizer Company incident.
If you are in the agricultural retail and supply industry, it is important you understand what this
new alliance will mean for your company. This could impact how you do business, and will
bring heightened scrutiny from OSHA and other regulatory bodies to the agricultural industry. If
you have not recently reviewed your occupational safety and health procedures, or if you do not
understand how this new relationship impacts your company, it might be a good idea to contact a
qualified third party occupational safety and health auditing firm.
If you have any questions about how this new alliance impacts you, please contact us. If you
have anything else to add about the partnership, please leave a comment.
Leave A Comment