The explosion shattered fume hood sash windows and knocked over equipment. Credit: Honolulu Fire Department
From my story at C&EN:
The University of Hawaii faces a total $115,500 fine for 15 workplace safety violations after a laboratory explosion in March on the university's Manoa campus. Postdoctoral researcher Thea Ekins-Coward, who worked for the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, lost one of her arms in the explosion.
You can read the rest here, including a full list of the citations. All of the citations were labeled as "serious" and given the maximum state penalty of $7,700 each.
Federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) watchers will look at that $7,700 number and wonder why it's so low. Earlier this year, OSHA increased its maximum penalty for a serious violation to $12,471. States that operate their own occupational safety and health plans are required to match or meet the federal civil penalties. Hawaii has not yet updated its civil penalties because the federal guidance was issued too late in the Hawaii legislative session this year, Hawaii Occupational Safety & Health Division spokesman William G. Kuntsman says.
For more about the OSHA fine increases and other ways the agency is looking to strengthen consequences for companies that endanger workers, see my story from earlier this year, "Chemical employers to face tougher worker safety penalties."