Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1961432 - Howell Insulation Co., Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Savannah Area Office

Inspection Nr: 1961432

Report ID: 0418400

Date Opened: 02/07/1985

Site Address:
Howell Insulation Co., Inc.
Hwy 31 Owens-Illinois Plant
Valdosta, GA 31604

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 6866, Birmingham, AL 35210

Union Status: Union

SIC:1742

NAICS: 0

Inspection Type: Unprog Rel

Scope: Partial

Advanced Notice: N

Ownership: Private

Safety/Health: Safety

Close Conference: 02/14/1985

Planning Guide: Safety-Construction

Emphasis:

Case Closed: 04/23/1985

Related Activity
Type	Activity Nr	Safety	Health
Referral	900867714	Yes

Violation Summary
Violations/Penalties	Serious	Willful	Repeat	Other	Unclass	Total
Initial Violations	1					1
Current Violations	1					1
Initial Penalty	$120	$0	$0	$0	$0	$120
Current Penalty	$120	$0	$0	$0	$0	$120
FTA Penalty	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0

Violation Items
#	Citation ID	Citaton Type	Standard Cited	Issuance Date	Abatement Due Date	Current Penalty	Initial Penalty	FTA Penalty	Contest	Latest Event	Note
1.	01001	Serious	19260451 D10	03/20/1985	03/23/1985	$120	$120	$0		-

Investigation Summary

Investigation Nr: 14348361

Event: 02/04/1985

TANK RUPTURED AND SPEWED HOT LIQUOR ON EMPLOYEES

ON FEBRUARY 4, 1885, AT 9:30 AM, THE PRIME CONTRACTOR WAS RUNNING AN EXPERIMENT, BY COMPUTER, ON THE #10 DIGESTER. A SUBCONTRACTOR AND A PLANT EMPLOYEE WERE ASSISTING. A BLOW LINE PLUGGED. AIR AND STEAM FAILED TO CLEAR THE LINE. A SUBCONTRACTOR EMPLOYEE PULLED THE CARDS FROM THE BAILEY CONTROL NET 90 DISTRIBUTIVE CONTROL SYSTEM (COMPUTER). REMOVAL OF THE CARDS CAUSED THREE VALVES TO OPEN. THE OPENING OF TWO OF THESE VALVES CAUSED THE WARM LIQUOR ACCUMULATOR TANK TO OVERPRESSURIZE. THE TANK RUPTURED AT THE TOP WELDED SEAMS, BLOWING HOT BLACK LIQUOR ONTO EMPLOYEES #1 THROUGH #9, WHO WERE WORKING IN PROXIMITY TO THE TANK. THE CARDS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PULLED AND THEN PLUGGED BACK IN WITHOUT SETTING THE DEFAULT VALVE FOR "CLOSED". CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL WORKING ON OR AROUND THE TANK SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE EXPERIMENT AND INSTRUCTED TO TAKE THE REQUIRED ACTIONS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.

Keywords: TANK, BURN, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, RUPTURE, HIGH PRESSURE

Investigated Inspection
#	Inspection	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	1961432			Non Hospitalized injury	Burn(Chemical)	Occupation not reported

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