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

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: On or about 8/10/92, 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: (1) asphyxiation from the hazards of oxygen deficiency and/or dangerous accumulations of toxic gases; (2) slipping hazards which can result in injuries requiring emregency removal of employees from vessels. Emergency removal would be hampered as such proceudres have not been developed and implemented: a- Employees are required to enter tanker truck vessels to clean liquid egg product from interior walls. The vessels have a 6000 gallon capacity. The size of the manhole used for entry is approximately 19 inches in diameter. Condition noted on or about August 10, 1992. These hazards resulted from deficiencies in the company's vessel entry procedures which included the following: a- The tank atmosphere was nto tested for oxygen deficiency and/or toxic air contaminants before employees are permitted to enter. b- A written permit system wa snot establihsed to certifiy that all hazard shave been evaluated and communicated to employees before entering the vessel. c- Equipment necessary for safe entry, inclduign retrieval lines and hranesses were not provided, maintained and used during vessel entry. d- Procedures were not implemenmted and equipmetn wa snot provide dto rescue employees during emergencies. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to correct these hazard is to establish a written confined space entry program that will establish management controls over the work being performed and shall contain as a minimum, but not necessarily limited to, the following elements: a- Written procedures covering a permit system, ventilation, atmopsheric testing, rescue procedures nad employee training. b- The completion and posting of a confined space entry permit which requires authorizatiuon and approval inw riting that specified the location and type of work to be done and certifies that all existing andpotential hazards havbe been evaulated by a qualified person and necessary protective measures have been taken to assure the safety of each worker. c- Mechanical ventilation fo the confined space prior to entry and continued ventilation to provide a safe atmosphere when determined necessary as described in (b) above. d- Testing of the atmopshere of the confined space prior to entry and on a regular basis for the presence of sufficient oxygen and absence of hazardous levels of toxic gases when determined necessary as described in (b) above. e- Emergency rescue procedures wuth a requirement that trained personnel are avaulable and are stationed outside the confiend space with proper equipment to provide rescue of persons entering the confined space. Such equipment must include safety harnesses and liufelines with provisions for hoisting employees from teh confined space. If entry is required for rescue, the rescuingf employee(s) must be equipped with equivalent respiratory protection such as but not limited to Self Contained Brewathing Apparatus (SCBA) plus other appropriate personal proitective equipmetn. f- Reinforce employee training on the hazards associated with entering confined spaces and the methods that can take to minimize them. This would include the weraring of a body harness and tended lifeline atached to a hoist or jib and work practices to be following while cleaning out vessels. g- Discontinue sending employees into tanker truck vessels and install a clean in place (CIP) automated wash operation. Such systems are already in place for silos located throughout the facility.