PRCS fatality cleaning a railcar (Oxygen Deficient and $551K)

At 3:15 p.m. on May 31, 2019, an employee was scraping oil sludge towards the bottom drain of a rail car when coworkers noted the absence of normal working sounds. The coworkers performed an entry rescue and found the employee unresponsive due to anoxia and chemical inhalation. The employee was killed.

Violation Summary
  Serious Willful Repeat Other Total
Initial Violations 3 4     7
Current Violations 3 4     7
Initial Penalty $39,780 $511,446 $0 $0 $551,226
Current Penalty $39,780 $511,446 $0 $0 $551,226

 

Violation Items
  # ID Type Standard Issuance Abate Curr$ Init$ Fta$ Contest
  1. 01001A Serious

19100146 E06 – The individual, by name, currently serving

as entry supervisor, with a space for the signature or

initials of the entry supervisor who originally authorized

entry;

11/25/2019 12/16/2019 $13,260 $13,260 $0 12/13/2019
  2. 01001B Serious

19100146 F03 – The date and the authorized duration of

the entry permit;

11/25/2019 12/16/2019 $0 $0 $0 12/13/2019
  3. 01001C Serious

19100146 F10 – The results of initial and periodic tests

performed under paragraph (d)(5) of this section,

accompanied by the names or initials of the testers and

by an indication of when the tests were performed;

11/25/2019 12/16/2019 $0 $0 $0 12/13/2019
  4. 01001D Serious

19100146 F11 – The rescue and emergency services that

can be summoned and the means (such as the equipment

to use and the numbers to call) for summoning those

services;

11/25/2019 12/16/2019 $0 $0 $0 12/13/2019
  5. 01002 Serious

19100146 I10 – Performs no duties that might interfere

with the attendant’s primary duty to monitor and protect

the authorized entrants.

11/25/2019 12/16/2019 $13,260 $13,260 $0 12/13/2019
  6. 01003 Serious

19100146 K02 III – Train affected employees in basic

first-aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

The employer shall ensure that at least one member

of the rescue team or service holding a current certification

in first aid and CPR is available

11/25/2019 12/16/2019 $13,260 $13,260 $0 12/13/2019
  7. 02001A Willful

19100134 D01 II – The employer shall select a NIOSH-

certified respirator. The respirator shall be used in

compliance with the conditions of its certification.

11/25/2019 12/16/2019 $132,598 $132,598 $0 12/13/2019
  8. 02001B Willful

19100134 D02 I – The employer shall provide the following

respirators for employee use in IDLH atmospheres:

11/25/2019 12/16/2019 $0 $0 $0 12/13/2019
  9. 02002 Willful

19100134 E01 – The employer shall provide a medical

evaluation to determine the employee’s ability to use a

respirator, before the employee is fit tested or required to

use the respirator in the workplace. The employer may

discontinue an employee’s medical evaluations when

the employee is no longer required to use a respirator.

11/25/2019 12/16/2019 $113,652 $113,652 $0 12/13/2019
  10. 02003 Willful

19100134 F02 – The employer shall ensure that an

employee using a tight-fitting facepiece respirator is

fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator, whenever

a different respirator facepiece (size, style, model or make)

is used, and at least annually thereafter.

11/25/2019 12/16/2019 $132,598 $132,598 $0 12/13/2019
  11. 02004A Willful

19100146 D03 IV – Purging, inerting, flushing, or

ventilating the permit space as necessary to eliminate

or control atmospheric hazards;

11/25/2019 12/16/2019 $132,598 $132,598 $0 12/13/2019
  12. 02004B Willful

19100146 D05 I – Test conditions in the permit space to

determine if acceptable entry conditions exist before entry

is authorized to begin, except that, if isolation of the space

is infeasible because the space is large or is part of a

continuous system (such as a sewer), pre-entry testing

shall be performed to the extent feasible before entry

is authorized and, if entry is authorized, entry conditions

shall be continuously monitored in the areas where

authorized entrants are working;

11/25/2019 12/16/2019 $0 $0 $0 12/13/2019
  13. 02004C Willful

19100146 D05 II – Test or monitor the permit space as

necessary to determine if acceptable entry conditions are

being maintained during the course of entry operations

11/25/2019 12/16/2019 $0 $0 $0 12/13/2019

 

 OSHA Case File

 

 

 

 

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