Case Study: Life Sciences
- By Justrite Safety Group
- Nov 29, 2025
We partnered with a large pharmaceutical manufacturing facility located in the Southeastern United States. This site employs hundreds of staff and features multiple labs, storage areas, and production zones. Facilities like this handle a wide range of chemicals and flammable materials daily, making safety and compliance a top priority.
Hazard Analysis
We identified several issues including deteriorating chemical storage, outdated safety equipment, and insufficient ergonomic measures. If left unaddressed, these problems can cause specific risks including hazardous chemical leaks, increased likelihood of fire or explosion due to inadequate fire protection, and worker injuries from prolonged standing.
Hazard |
Environment |
Key Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| Corroded Acid Storage | Lab | Signs of corrosion within acid/corrosive storage cabinets |
| Flammable Liquid Storage Risks |
• Chemical storage rooms • Bottle filling operations • Storerooms |
Outdated or manual-close flammable cabinets |
| Worker Fatigue | Workstations | No anti-fatigue matting |
Why it Matters
Addressing these issues is crucial to ensure the safety and wellbeing of employees, safeguard facility assets, and maintain compliance with regulatory standards. Unresolved hazards not only increase the risk of accidents, injuries, and property damage, but can also lead to costly legal and reputational consequences for the organization. Proactively mitigating these risks demonstrates a commitment to workplace safety and reduces the likelihood of operational disruptions.
Violations & Risks
Identified potential violations with fines up to $15,625 and additional losses that could exceed $100,000. Some of the top violations and risks found were:
- OSHA 1910.106
- NFPA 1
- NFPA 30
- FM Approval Violations
- Workers’ Compensation Claims
- Fire Incident Costs
Recommendations
The following recommendations outline targeted solutions designed to resolve the issues identified during the analysis and help the company achieve lasting safety improvements.
- Upgraded Chemical Storage: We recommended replacing corroded acid cabinets with new ChemCor acid/corrosive cabinets designed to resist chemical damage and prevent leaks.
- Fire Code-Compliant Cabinets: Outdated flammable liquid cabinets were replaced with Sure-Grip EX cabinets featuring self-closing doors, improved fire resistance, and FM/NFPA approvals. This ensures compliance with OSHA, NFPA 1, and NFPA 30 standards.
- Ergonomic Improvements: We suggested the installation of high-quality anti-fatigue matting at analytical workstations to reduce fatigue and boost productivity.
- Safe Disposal Solutions: For laboratory waste, we introduced quick-disconnect disposal safety cans, minimizing exposure to hazardous vapors and spills.
- Comprehensive Coverage: All recommendations were tailored to meet or exceed relevant codes, including proper segregation of incompatible materials and adherence to storage quantity limits.
