CONYERS, Ga. — An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that improperly stored hazardous chemicals triggered the massive chemical fire at the Conyers facility last September.
The fire and emission of toxic chemical plumes prompted the evacuation of approximately 17,000 nearby residents and forced the closure of many roads and businesses. An undetermined number of people became ill and sought medical treatment in hospitals.
OSHA said the company was cited for four “serious” and two “less than serious” violations, incurring a more than $61,000 fine against the company.
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The fine is being called inadequate by people who live and work in the area.
“I definitely don’t think $60,000 is enough due to all the businesses affected by this accident,” auto body repair worker Darius Bates told Channel 2′s Tom Regan.
Bates manages Precision Paint and Collision, which sits directly across from the plant near I-20 in Rockdale County. He said the fire, and continual chemical plumes emanating from the plant, had a tremendous impact on the business.
“We were closed down for a week. In a week, we probably make $100,000 if we’re open. A lot of our employees were sent to urgent care. A lot of vehicles were affected by the plumes with corrosion on the car. I don’t think $60,000 is anywhere near what is needed to restore the losses we experienced,” said Bates.
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A resident who lives less than a mile from the plant and was forced to evacuate also complained about the fine.
“I think it’s very low, considering the impact it caused the neighborhood and the people in the neighborhood,” neighbor Barbara Carr-Moore said. “When we came back, the debris was everywhere. The ashes, the fumes, like pollution. My husband has had open heart surgery. He had to go to the emergency room at Rockdale because of the breathing, the chest pains, feeling nauseous and sick. My granddaughter has asthma and she had to have breathing treatment as well.”
In a statement, BioLab said it has been working closely with OSHA and “takes operational safety very seriously.”
“OSHA’s investigation did not focus on the cause of the incident and the agency shared no findings with the company that would substantiate the statement in the press release about the cause. We continue to dialogue with the agency and it’s representatives as we work together to further enhance our safety procedures for the future,” a company official said.
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