FAA Proposes $72,000 Penalty Against Houston Company for Hazmat Violations

The Federal Aviation Administration, Southern Region, has
proposed to assess a $72,000 civil penalty against Nutrition for
Life International, Inc., of Houston, Tex., for allegedly violating
Department of Transportation hazardous materials regulations.

FAA alleges that Nutrition for Life improperly offered a fiberboard
box containing two one-pint plastic bottles of "Nutrition for Life,
Virahol Enviro Defense System" to UPS for transportation by air.
This substance is denatured alcohol, which is a flammable liquid
and is classified as a hazardous material. Ground handling
employees at the UPS sort facility in Louisville, Ky., discovered
the shipment leaking.

Nutrition for Life offered the hazardous materials for
transportation when they were not packaged, labeled, marked,
classed, described, documented, or in condition for shipment as
required by regulations. Nutrition for Life also failed to ensure
employees were trained to properly package and handle
hazardous
materials, and did not make available at all times the required
emergency response information.

Nutrition for Life has 30 days from receipt of the FAA notice to
submit a reply to the agency. This announcement is made in
accordance with the FAA's practice of releasing information to
the
public on newly issued enforcement actions involving penalties
of
$50,000 or more.