RENO COUNTY — An accident at the South Hutchinson Tyson plant in June has resulted in more than $117,000 in fines. OSHA cited six serious violations and two repeat violations
related to the June 8 incident. Ammonia was released and injured two contract workers, one critically.

The fines levied Dec. 5 show that Tyson failed to provide and construct proper exit routes for employees in case of an emergency, failed to provide safety management for hazardous materials and failed to have proper emergency action plans in place. Tyson will have until Dec. 27 to correct the violations.

In 2013, Tyson agreed to pay a $3,950,000 civil penalty to settle alleged violations of Clean-Air Act regulations covering the prevention of chemical accidents at its facilities, including the plants in Hutchinson and South Hutchinson.

In October of 2006, an employee died while working on the plant’s refrigeration system. Fifty-one-year-old Michael Wiehe died after a pipe rupture and released a toxic cloud of ammonia. That accident also injured a co-worker. Federal investigators found that the pipe fitting that split while the two were trying to drain anhydrous ammonia from refrigeration equipment was responsible for the death. OSHA noted that the men weren’t using protective gear required by federal regulations.