Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: HEAT

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to a fire as a result of a spark, flame, or the transfer of heat through the metal wall of the model 3272 CMC cotton module buidler (serial number B1368) while an employee used a torch to heat a door latch pin from the outside with two employees inside moving cotton away from the wall on the Dan Whitehurst Farm on or about September 23, 1987. Among other methods, some feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct this hazard are: a) When practical, objects to be welded, cut, or heated must be moved to a designated safe location or, if the object to be welded, cut, or heated cannot be readily moved, all movable fire hazards including residues of combustible contents such as cotton in the vicinity must be taken to a safe place. If the object to be welded, cut, or heated cannot be moved and if all the fire hazards including combustible contents such as cotton cannot be removed, positive means must be taken to confine the heat, sparks, and slag, and to protect the immovable fire hazards from them. When welding, cutting, or heating is performed on shells, walls, floors, and ceilings, since direct penetration of sparks or heat transfer may introduce a fire hazard to an adjacent compartment, the same precautions must be taken on the opposite side as are taken on the side on which the welding, cutting, or heating is being performed. Suitable fire extinguishing equipment must be immediately available in the work area and must be maintained in a state of readiness for instant use.