An explosion and fire that killed a press operator and hospitalized eight other employees at a paint resins and coatings manufacturer could have been prevented had the employer not altered a kettle reactor vessel improperly and then returned the vessel to service after it failed following the alterations, a federal workplace safety inspection has found. OSHA cited the paint manufacturer for two willful and 33 serious safety violations of the agency’s process safety management and hazardous waste operations and emergency response procedures. OSHA also noted violations involving lack of personal protective equipment and employee training. The agency proposed $709,960 in penalties and placed the business in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program. The OSHA investigation determined that in December 2020, the facility altered the kettle reactor vessel and the manway opening but did not ensure the vessel maintained its pressure-containing ability. On Jan. 3, 2021, following the alteration, the newly installed manway failed. The company made additional alterations to the vessel when installing a new gasket and again failed to adhere to OSHA’s PSM, pressure vessel inspection procedures, and the American Petroleum Institute’s pressure vessel inspection code.
Here is a breakdown of the OSHA citations: