OSHA has cited Lake Compounce in Bristol for several violations after finding that the company exposed employees to several chemicals, including carcinogens, and the federal agency has proposed more than $70,000 in penalties.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Lake Compounce for 18 violations and said the company exposed employees spraying coatings on park equipment and working with caustic chemicals in the park’s paint room to chemical, burn and respirator hazards.
The company is accused of failing to monitor workers’ exposure to hexavalent chromium, a chemical the U.S. Department of Labor says is known to cause cancer, and the possible carcinogen methylene chloride.
The company is also accused of failing to train employees about hazardous chemicals or provide required eye- and hand-washing facilities for employees working with chemicals, according to OSHA.
The company is also accused of failing to fit-test and determine employees’ ability to wear respirators and provide them with respirator training.
Other violations include failing to ground electrical equipment properly, failing to keep spark-producing tools out of a flammable spray booth, not disposing flammable waste properly.
The proposed penalties amount to $70,200.
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“These conditions exposed Lake Compounce Family Theme Park employees to serious burn, fire, chemical burn, electric shock and eye, face and hand injuries. The employer must act promptly to effectively eliminate these hazards before they injure its employees,” Warren Simpson, OSHA’s area director in Hartford, said in a statement.
Lake Compounce released a statement saying the company is working with OSHA to address a "number of concerns raised by their recent visit to the park."
"(A)s such, we feel it would be inappropriate to comment on the specifics of the citation. At Lake Compounce, we care deeply for our employees, and safety is always our #1 concern for both our team members and our guests. As a large amusement park operation, we have an exceptional safety record. We look forward to continuing the dialogue with OSHA and hope to reach an amicable resolution, with employee safety always being the first concern," the statement from Lake Compounce says.
