The US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Air Liquide’s US subsidiary for workplace health and safety violations at its Corpus Christi, Texas plant. The assessed penalties total $77,000. OSHA issued the citations for one “willful” and one “serious” violation. In the “willful” category, it said the French-headquartered group, world’s largest industrial gases producer since its $13.4 billion takeover of US competitor Airgas in May of this year, failed to perform air monitoring to assess employee exposure to carbon monoxide gas.

In the “serious” citation, the gases producer is said to have failed to protect workers from a potentially hazardous atmosphere created by inadequately maintained valves found leaking within the pressure swing adsorption skid. From the date the citations were issued, Jul. 20, Air Liquide has 15 business days to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.