OSHA conducted a safety and health inspection in August 2007 and issued three repeat citations alleging failure to provide adequate protection, training, monitoring and emergency plans regarding employee exposure to ethylene oxide, a dangerous, colorless gas used in the sterilization process. The company was also issued 12 serious citations alleging failure to address hazards associated with ethylene oxide exposures, failure to implement engineering controls to reduce ethylene oxide levels that exceeded OSHA’s permissible exposure limits, and failure to provide baseline medical examinations for employees prior to working with ethylene oxide. The company also received a serious citation alleging a lack of guardrails on platforms and scaffolding.

[Steris Isomedix Services, Waukegan, IL.Release number 08-54-CHI, Feb. 7, 2008]