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

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 the hazard of fractures, lacerations, concussion and other serious head and/or face injuries resulting from manual removal of the 20 inch diameter Betts 8066 manway closures from the five 10 feet long by 3 feet diameter polystyrene resin mixing tanks while these vessels were pressurized to 40 p.s.i. These manway closures were removed as needed throughout the work shift to expose openings through which titanium dioxide powder was added to the tanks. These closures were not equipped with an audible and/or visible warning device that would serve to warn the operator if the pressure is applied to the tank before the closure and its holding elements are fully engaged in their intended position and further warn the operator if an attempt is made to operate the locking mechanism or device before the pressure within the tank is released. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is by providing closures equipped in accordance with the requirements of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII, Part UG-35, 1989 as follows: Quick-actuating closures that are held in position by a locking device or mechanism that requires manual operation and are so designed that there will be leakage of the contents of the vessel prior to disengagement of the locking elements and release of closure shall be equipped with an audible and/or visible warning device that will serve to warn the operator if pressure is applied to the vessel before the closure and its holding elements are fully engaged in their intended position and further will serve to warn the operator if an attempt is made to operate the locking mechanism or device before the pressure within the vessel is released. When installed, all vessels having quick-actuating closures shall be provided with a pressure indicating device visible from the operating area.