OSHA blames chemical storage for BioLab fire. A former worker says she had safety concerns

Federal investigators say improperly stored chemicals led to the fire that broke out at BioLab’s Conyers warehouse last fall. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is proposing a $61,473 fine, citing multiple serious violations related to chemical storage, emergency response and worker protection.

In a citation issued March 28, OSHA found that hazardous chemicals such as trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA), sodium dichloroisocyanurate (DCCA), and bromochloro-5,5-dimethylimidazolidine-2,4-dione (BCDMH) were “not stored properly” at the facility. The agency says the materials are both toxic and fire hazards.

Inspectors found that employees on BioLab’s emergency response team weren’t equipped with the proper respirators or protective gear when responding to the incident. They also cited the company failed to maintain required records of medical evaluations and respirator fit tests for workers responding to the emergency.

In total, OSHA issued four serious violations and two other-than-serious violations. 

In an email statement, a BioLab spokesperson said the company “takes operational safety very seriously” and has been cooperating with the OSHA investigation. The company pushed back on the agency’s assertion about improper chemical storage being the fire’s cause.

“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,” the spokesperson said in the statement. 

Before OSHA released its findings, former BioLab worker Tasheka Moore told GPB she had concerns about chemical exposure and safety preparedness at the facility.

Moore, who worked as a packer and labeling operator at BioLab in Conyers from 2019 to 2022, told GPB that turnover was high because many workers became sick from chemical exposure — reporting symptoms such as burns, dizziness, headaches and upper respiratory infections.

“You need a hazmat suit working there,” she said.

She also questioned how well employees were prepared to respond if something went wrong.

“I don’t think the actual people that is working in the building are actually prepared,” Moore said. “I feel like the only thing they know is to evacuate and call for help.”

BioLab declined to comment on Moore’s claims. 

BioLab has been cited for a range of OSHA violations over the past 25 years, including not properly training employees on hazardous chemicals.  

In 2021, OSHA cited BioLab following an incident in which a worker was hospitalized after suffering chemical burns to his hand and thigh. The agency cited the company for a serious violation and initially fined BioLab over $7,000 before reaching a settlement.

Asked about the previous OSHA violations, a company spokesperson told GPB in October via email, “BioLab takes operational safety very seriously, and its policies and procedures follow.” 

BioLab has 15 days to comply, contest, or request a conference about the most recent OSHA findings. If the fine stands as is, it would be the largest OSHA fine levied at the company to date. 

For more on the BioLab chemical fire, listen to Manufacturing Danger: The BioLab Story, where GPB's Pamela Kirkland investigates what led to the fire, how officials and the company responded, and the lingering questions about its impact on the community.