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Robert Peyser, 66, of Bellmore, and his West Babylon-based Kessler Thermometer Corp. pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment in Suffolk County Court on Friday, Dec. 13.
Peyser, the company’s owner and principal agent, admitted that he knowingly endangered workers by failing to provide proper ventilation, protective equipment, and cleanup protocols for handling mercury spills.
Investigators got involved in August 2022, when a large mercury spill exposed several employees to toxic levels of the neurotoxin.
Four workers were later diagnosed with mercury poisoning, suffering severe symptoms including memory loss, fatigue, and, in one case, a heart block requiring a permanent pacemaker. Another employee fell into a coma and now relies on an oxygen tank to breathe.
Investigators learned that a doctor had previously informed Peyser about an employee who was exposed to dangerous mercury levels in July 2020. The doctor urged Peyser to implement safety measures but the warning went ignored.
As part of the plea agreement, Kessler Thermometer Corp. was ordered to pay $75,000 in fines, in addition to a $97,000 civil assessment for OSHA violations.
Peyser was sentenced to probation and must ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation regulations.
If he violates probation, he could face up to one year in jail.
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