In several of my articles over the years, I have touched on the additional hazards when working with hazardous materials in an elevated position. In my 2016 Line Break presentation @ ASSE Safety 2016, we made a special point to mention how additional safeguards need to be in place when doing line breaks at elevation. In this 2020 fatality, we now know the deceased was working from a scissor lift while dismantling an ammonia blast freezer in preparation for installing a new freezer. The workers hit a charged line in their work and they were exposed to ammonia.
On January 10, 2020, Employees #1 and # 2 were working from a scissor lift and dismantling an ammonia blast freezer in preparation for installing a new freezer. As they worked, ammonia was released. Employee #1 was killed by the chemical exposure. Employee #2 self-rescued, but was seriously injured. He was transported to the hospital and treated for severe burns and inhalation injuries.
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Violation Summary
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serious | Willful | Repeat | Other | Total | |
| Initial Violations | 8 | 1 | 9 | ||
| Current Violations | 9 | 9 | |||
| Initial Penalty | $53,000 | $7,000 | $0 | $0 | $60,000 |
| Current Penalty | $107,400 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $107,400 |
| Violation Items | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | ID | Type | Standard | Issuance | Abate | Curr$ | Init$ | Contest | LastEvent |
| 1. | 01001 | Serious |
19100037 A03 – Exit routes must be free and unobstructed. No materials or equipment may be placed, either permanently or temporarily, within the exit route. The exit access must not go through a room that can be locked, such as a bathroom, to reach an exit or exit discharge, nor may it lead into a dead-end corridor. Stairs or a ramp must be provided where the exit route is not substantially level. |
06/19/2020 | 07/16/2020 | $70,000 | $7,000 | – | |
| 2. | 02001 | Serious |
19100119 F04 – The employer shall develop and implement safe work practices to provide for the control of hazards during operations such as lockout/tagout; confined space entry; opening process equipment or piping; and control over entrance into a facility by maintenance, contractor, laboratory, or other support personnel. These safe work practices shall apply to employees and contractor employees. |
06/19/2020 | 08/06/2020 | $6,300 | $7,000 | – | |
| 3. | 02002 | Serious |
19100119 H02 I – The employer, when selecting a contractor, shall obtain and evaluate information regarding the contract employer’s safety performance and programs. |
06/19/2020 | 08/06/2020 | $7,000 | $7,000 | – | |
| 4. | 02003 | Serious |
19100119 H02 IV – The employer shall develop and implement safe work practices consistent with paragraph (f)(4) of this section, to control the entrance, presence and exit of contract employers and contract employees in covered process areas. |
06/19/2020 | 08/06/2020 | $0 | $7,000 | – | |
| 5. | 02004 | Serious |
19100119 H02 V – The employer shall periodically evaluate the performance of contract employers in fulfilling their obligations as specified in paragraph (h)(3) of this section. |
06/19/2020 | 08/06/2020 | $6,300 | $7,000 | – | |
| 6. | 02005 | Serious |
19100119 L01 – The employer shall establish and implement written procedures to manage changes (except for “replacements in kind”) to process chemicals, technology, equipment, and procedures; and, changes to facilities that affect a covered process. |
06/19/2020 | 08/06/2020 | $6,300 | $7,000 | – | |
| 7. | 02006 | Serious |
19100120 Q03 IV – Employees engaged in emergency response and exposed to hazardous substances presenting an inhalation hazard or potential inhalation hazard shall wear positive pressure self-contained breathing apparatus while engaged in emergency response, until such time that the individual in charge of the ICS determines through the use of air monitoring that a decreased level of respiratory protection will not result in hazardous exposures to employees. |
06/19/2020 | 08/06/2020 | $4,500 | $4,000 | – | |
| 8. | 02007 | Serious |
19100165 B01 – The employee alarm system shall provide warning for necessary emergency action as called for in the emergency action plan, or for reaction time for safe escape of employees from the workplace or the immediate work area, or both. |
06/19/2020 | 08/06/2020 | $7,000 | $7,000 | – | |
| 9. | 02008 | Serious |
19100165 B02 – The employee alarm shall be capable of being perceived above ambient noise or light levels by all employees in the affected portions of the workplace. Tactile devices may be used to alert those employees who would not otherwise be able to recognize the audible or visual alarm. |
06/19/2020 | 08/06/2020 | $0 | $7,000 | – | |
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