A fire that destroyed part of a Georgetown porch screen-and-vinyl factory in May also burned important paperwork that listed dangerous chemicals inside the family-owned business.
As the fire raged, at least 90 minutes passed before Screen Tight got their manufacturers to e-mail and fax the material-safety data sheets to fire officials on the scene, company owner Guerry Green said Thursday.
The failure to have the hazardous-chemicals plan has led to penalties being assessed to the Screen Tight and Georgetown County Emergency Services Department by the S.C. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Jim Knight, an OSHA spokesman, said Screen Tight was fined $1,250 because it was the company's responsibility to make the documents available to the Emergency Services Department prior to the May 14 fire.
"It's OSHA's position that Screen Tight should have provided the material safety data sheets to the fire department," Knight said.
Green said the the company is not at fault and he will make that point with OSHA officials on Wednesday.
"We've never had any citations, and we're not going to take this sitting down," he said.
The Emergency Services Department was fined for not having a hazardous-chemicals plan in place, Knight said.
That plan is supposed to provide firefighters with the material safety data sheet and the training to deal with on-site chemicals, Knight said.
In exchange for agreeing to develop a safety checklist and do monthly inspections, the department could see its fine reduced from $330 to $132, said Knight. Calls to the Emergency Services Department seeking comment Thursday night were not immediately returned.
Fire personnel are scheduled to present their plan to OSHA officials next month, Knight said.
"With this approach, we hope to make the environment safer for employees working there," he said.
The fire destroyed the administrative offices and part of the manufacturing facility of Screen Tight south of Georgetown on U.S. 17.
No injuries were reported.
Distributed by the Associated Press
