OSHA Fines Maine Pulp Mill $794K After Two Workers Die in Gas Release
Two workers died from exposure to uncontrolled hydrogen sulfide gas during a cold weather shutdown at Woodland Pulp LLC’s Baileyville, Maine facility, and OSHA has now proposed $794,456 in penalties following its investigation, ISHN reports. The Jan. 27, 2026 incident occurred when workers were exposed to high concentrations of the deadly gas without functioning alarms or breathing devices. A second incident on March 7, 2026, involved a chemical fire after 4,400 gallons of 50 percent hydrogen peroxide mixed with accumulated wood pulp on the ground. OSHA issued four willful citations and eight serious citations covering failures including inadequate hydrogen sulfide controls, lack of hydrogen peroxide hazard training, missing respirator medical evaluations and fit tests, and unlabeled chlorine and acid lines. The agency noted Woodland Pulp has been inspected 13 times since 2017, including a prior incident where 14 employees were hospitalized after a chemical exposure in the same area.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- Maintenance and shutdown crews working turnarounds at pulp, paper, or chemical processing sites should confirm gas detection alarms and supplied-air or SCBA equipment are functional and staged before cold weather shutdown work begins, not after exposure incidents occur.
- Subs supplying respiratory protection services should verify medical evaluations and fit testing records are current for every worker on site; OSHA cited Woodland Pulp specifically for skipping these steps.
- Companies handling hydrogen peroxide, chlorine, or acid lines on client sites should require proper labeling and hazard-specific training documentation before crews mobilize, given OSHA’s citation for unlabeled lines and missing peroxide training at this facility.
