OSHA has cited a fertilizer producer with 40 safety and health violations following the deaths of two workers in separate incidents. On May 22, an operator attempting to start up a steam turbine in sulfuric acid plant No. 2 was struck by flying metal debris when the turbine housing ruptured due to apparent overpressurization. In a similar incident on June 1, an operator restarting a tripped steam turbine in sulfuric acid plant No. 3 also was killed by flying metal debris when the turbine housing ruptured due to overpressurization. Here is a break down of the citations…
General Duty Clause
- Not following ASME Section VIII UG-125 and UG-126 for pressure vessels (Serious; $7K)
- Not following ASME Section VIII UG-125 and UG-126 for pressure vessels in the sulphuric acid plant (Serious; $7K)
- Not following manufacturer’s start-up instructions on a turbine (Serious; $7K)
Walking and Working Surfaces
- 1910.23(a)(5) two open pits were not guarded (Serious; $3,600)
- 1910.24(h) One set of stairs had no railing and another set had no mid-rail (Serious; $2,700)
- 1910.23(a)(1) hoses and trash on decking (REPEAT; $12,600)
- 1910.24(h) five riser stairway had no railing (Serious; $3,600)
- 1910.22(a)(2) working in standing oily water in front of electrical panels and safety switches (Serious; $4,500)
- 1910.23(a)(8)(ii) Six locations of unguarded floor openings (Serious; $3,600)
- 1910.23(c)(1) fifteen locations of unguarded platforms over 48″ (Serious; $4,500)
- 1910.24(b) Four locations that required fixed stairs did not have them (Serious; $4,500)
- 1910.27(d)(3) three fixed ladder extensions did not extend 3.5′ above landings (Serious; $2,700
Process Safety
- Process Hazards Analysis
- No PHA for the phosphoric acid process (Serious; $4,500)
- PHA’s for Chlorine in cooling towers, Ammonia in DAP process not revalidated since 2005/2006 (Serious; $4,500)
- PHA did not address engineering and administrative controls regarding Ammonia detectors in working areas (Serious; $4,500)
- Audits
- Last PSM audit conducted in 2005
- Mechanical Integrity
- 1910.119(j)(4)(i) Fifteen (15) Ammonia PSVs were not changed out per MI schedule and nine (9) pressure vessels not inspected (Serious; $4,500)
Machine Guarding
- Bench grinder tool rest not properly adjusted (Serious; $2,700)
- Bench Grinder without tongue guard (Serious; $0)
- 1910.212(a)(1) Conveyor Belt nip points unguarded and unguarded rotating shaft (Serious; $4,500)
- 1910.219(c)(2)(i) Twenty (20) locations where horizontal shafting was not guarded (Serious; $4,500)
- 1910.219(c)(3) Two (2) locations where vertical shafting was not guarded (Serious; $3,600)
- 1910.219(c)(4)(i) Six (6) locations with unguarded projecting shaft ends (Serious; $4,500)
- 1910.219(e)(1)(i) Four (4) unguarded horizontal belts (Serious; $4,500)
- 1910.219(i)(2) Eleven (11) locations of unguarded couplings (Serious; $4,500)
Compressed Air
- 1910.242 Three (3) occasions employees were observed using compressed air at 70 and 80 psi to blow their clothes off and air nozzles extensions used (Serious; $4,500)
Asbestos
- Assessment & Labeling
- 1910.1001(j)(2)(i) and 1910.1001(j)(4)(i) No Asbestos assessment done and workers observed on two occasions working on unlabeled pipe insulation that turned out to contain 40% ACM (Serious; $3,600)
Blood-Borne Pathogens
- 1910.1030(d)(2)(ix) Workers observed eating lunch in the first-aid trailer where blood and other bodily fluids were maintained (Serious; $2,700)
HAZCOM
- Labeling 1910.1200(f)(5)(i) and (ii)
- Nine containers were not labeled as to their contents, from acid to oil (Serious; $3,600)
- Nine containers were not labeled with appropriate hazard warnings (Serious; $0)
- 2.5 gallon container of 96-98% H2SO4 was not labeled with the identity of the content (Serious; $3,600)
Welding, Cutting, Brazing
- 1910.252(a)(2)(iii)(A) No fire watch provided for hotwork done in sulphuric acid plant around cardboard and natural gas (Serious; $5,400)
- 1910.252(a)(2)(iii)(B) Fire watch not trained on location of fire extinguisher (Serious; $0)
Electrical
- 1910.304(g)(5) missing ground pin on pipe bending machine in maintenance shop (Serious; $3,600)
- 1910.305(j)(2)(v) electrical receptacles outside did not have enclosures and an electrical box for lighting was not covered for a wet location (Serious; $3,600)
- 1910.303(b)(7)(iv) three (3) electric motor fan blade housing corroded through exposing workers to hazards (Serious; $3,600)
- 1910.303(c)(3)(i) improper splices creating trip hazards on decking (Serious; $4,500)
- 1910.303(g)(2)(i)(B) Ten (10) locations of missing faceplates, missing breakers, etc. (Serious; $4,500)
- 1910.303(g)(2)(i)(D) Two (2) unguarded light bulbs below 8′ (Serious; Corrected during inspection)
- 1910.304(a)(2) receptacle with missing face plate found to have reversed polarity (Serious; $3,600)
- 1910.305(g)(5) Five (5) locations were found to have missing permanent and continuous grounds (Serious; $4,500)
- 1910.303(f)(2) Four (4) breakers in a panel not labeled (Other-than-Serious; $0)
- 1910.305(g)(2)(iii) Eight (8) cords missing strain relief (four corrected during inspection) (Other-than-Serious; $0)
Fire Extinguishers
- 1910.157(c)(1) control room extinguisher not mounted and readily accessible (Other-than Serious; $0)
CLICK HERE for the citations.