I really struggle to understand how so many smart people that use the acronym “PSI” dozens of times a day, but never really grasp what it means. I have debated this topic hundreds of times as it always comes up in my LOTO and Process Safety courses and daily work I do in these safety arenas. I even asked AI if my scenario was “crazy” and it explained it the same way I was taught it in 1993. Bottom line… surface area MATTERS, as was the case in this unfortunate fatality.
At approximately 1:45 p.m. on January 14, 2015, an employee, a 22-year old Mechanic/Welder, was troubleshooting a piping leak in a customer petroleum/cargo tank. The employee pressurized the cargo compartment by using compressed air to determine leaks in the piping system. Leaks were not found.
After coming back from lunch, he went up to the top of the tank, apparently overlooked that the compartment had been pressurized, he proceeded to remove the testing lid, the testing lid blew off and struck him on the head. The testing lid he used had been fabricated in the shop. The employee was killed.
| Violations/Penalties | Serious | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Violations | 8 | 1 | 9 |
| Current Violations | 8 | 8 | |
| Initial Penalty | $18,800 | $400 | $19,200 |
| Current Penalty | $16,920 | $0 | $16,920 |
| FTA Penalty | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| # | Citation ID | Citation Type | Standard Cited | Issuance Date | Abatement Due Date | Current Penalty | Initial Penalty | FTA Penalty | Contest | Latest Event | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 01001 | Serious | 5A0001 | 04/10/2015 | 05/15/2015 | $2,160 | $2,400 | $0 | I – Informal Settlement | ||
| 2. | 01002 | Serious | 19100132 A | 04/10/2015 | 10/30/2015 | $2,160 | $2,400 | $0 | I – Informal Settlement | ||
| 3. | 01003A | Serious | 19100146 C01 | 04/10/2015 | 06/30/2015 | $2,160 | $2,400 | $0 | I – Informal Settlement | ||
| 4. | 01003B | Serious | 19100146 C02 | 04/10/2015 | 06/30/2015 | $0 | $0 | $0 | I – Informal Settlement | ||
| 5. | 01005 | Serious | 19100146 C07 III | 04/10/2015 | 07/07/2015 | $2,160 | $2,400 | $0 | I – Informal Settlement | ||
| 6. | 01006 | Serious | 19100146 G01 | 04/10/2015 | 06/30/2015 | $2,160 | $2,400 | $0 | I – Informal Settlement | ||
| 7. | 01007 | Serious | 19100147 C01 | 04/10/2015 | 06/30/2015 | $2,520 | $2,800 | $0 | I – Informal Settlement | ||
| 8. | 01008 | Serious | 19100178 Q07 | 04/10/2015 | 06/06/2015 | $2,160 | $2,400 | $0 | I – Informal Settlement | ||
| 9. | 01009 | Serious | 19101200 H01 | 04/10/2015 | 07/06/2015 | $1,440 | $1,600 | $0 | I – Informal Settlement | ||
| 10. | 02001 | Other | 19040040 A | 04/10/2015 | 05/06/2015 | $0 | $400 | $0 | I – Informal Settlement | Citation has been deleted. |
Source: https://www.osha.gov/ords/imis/establishment.inspection_detail?id=1021238.015