The call from in from the Cook County medical examiner: a Raani Corp. worker had died from burn injuries caused by high-temperature water and a solution that erupted while the worker was beneath an open tank hatch.

The OSHA investigation launched by this call uncovered an extraordinary response on the part of the employer to the worker’s severe injuries. Instead of washing the worker in a safety shower – which was available – and calling 911, the company simply had the worker taken to a local occupational health clinic in a co-workers’ vehicle – more than 30 minutes after the injury.

Those actions resulted in 14 violations against Raani Corp., along with membership in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

The six willful violations include failing to utilize available emergency care; provide, require and train workers on the proper use of protective clothing; provide eye, face and hand protection when handling high-temperature liquid and hazardous chemicals; and failing to provide hazard communication training to workers exposed to hazardous chemicals.