Department of Labor again cites Hanover Foods for exposing workers to dozens of safety, health hazards; proposes $761K in penalties

CENTRE HALL, PA – The U.S. Department of Labor has again found Hanover Foods Corp., a large food manufacturer with a history of hazardous workplace safety practices, in violation of dozens of safety and health hazards at its Centre Hall facility.

The producer of glass-pack, canned, frozen, refrigerated, freeze-dried and snack food products under the Hanover brand as well as other private labels also operates eight other manufacturing plants, including five in Pennsylvania and one each in Delaware, New Jersey and Guatemala.

In October 2023, inspectors with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened an investigation at the Centre Hall plant in response to a complaint alleging hazards involving the company’s handling of highly hazardous chemicals, included in Hanover’s Process Safety Management program. 

OSHA cited the company for 70 violations, including nine repeat, 51 serious and 11 other-than-serious violations. The infractions related to numerous Process Safety Management failures, such as lack of training; not correcting equipment deficiencies; failing to document that equipment complied with recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices and to establish an emergency plan for the entire plant. 

The agency has assessed Hanover Foods Corp. with $761,876 in penalties. OSHA cited the company for similar violations at its Clayton, Delaware, facility in 2019 and 2021. 

“Hanover Foods Corp. put its employees at risk of serious safety and health hazards by not complying with federal and industry-recognized safety standards at another of its facilities,” said OSHA Area Director Kevin T. Chambers in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. “We will use all of our resources to hold employers accountable when they neglect their legal duty to protect their workers from harm.”

Workers in the U.S. suffer more than 190,000 illnesses and approximately 50,000 deaths annually related to chemical exposures. OSHA’s website provides an overview of chemical hazards and toxic substances to provide employers and employees with tips to recognize hazards and control exposures. 

The company has 15 business days from receipt of their citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. 

Visit OSHA’s website for information on developing a workplace safety and health program. Employers can also contact the agency for information about OSHA’s compliance assistance resources and for free help on complying with OSHA standards