OSHA Cites IHOP for West Virginia Chlorine Incident

Federal regulators are proposing $25,000 in civil penalties against IHOP Restaurants stemming from a chlorine incident at a West Virginia restaurant that sickened nine workers.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Wednesday that it cited the company for five alleged serious safety and health violations at the South Charleston restaurant.

They include failure to conduct a personal protective equipment hazard assessment, and failure to provide training, eye protection, eye wash facilities and material safety data sheets for chemicals used in the workplace.

South Charleston fire officials have said chlorine fumes dispersed throughout the building Feb. 17 when workers mixed bleach and a cleaning agent together in a sink area.

IHOP’s West Virginia director of operations, John Whittington, said he hasn’t yet reviewed the citations and couldn’t comment.