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

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 fires and explosions from the manufacture of aerosol products. (a) Production Department; Employees with the job titles of Operators, Batchmakers and Maintenance workers were exposed to the potential for fires and explosions during the manufacture of aerosol products. The job tasks include but are not limited to, mixing base product, filling cans with isobutane in gas houses, and the warehouse and storage of the final product; on or about 6/5/91. ABATEMENT NOTES: Among other methods, one feasible abatement method to reduce this hazard, is to establish and enforce adequate procedures for manufactur- ing and warehousing as stipulated by the National Fire Protection Association Code for the Manufacture and Storage of Aerosol Products, NFPA 30B, 1990. Elements essential to protect employees include at a minimum: 1. All openings (i.e. doorways, ductwork, and conveyor lines) shall be protected with automatic closing or self-closing fire doors or dampers. 2. Flammable propellant charging and pump rooms shall be separated from flammable propellant storage by a distance of at least 25 feet. 3. Deflagration venting shall be provided for flammable propellant charging and pump rooms. 4. Mechanical exhaust ventilation shall be provided for flammable propellant chrging and pump rooms. Ventilation systems shall include exhaust systems and make-up air systems. The ventilation system shall meet the following requirments: a. The ventilation shall be nonrecirculating b Make-up air shall be taken either directly from outside or from areas of the building where flammable vapors are not present. c. Air inlets and outlets shall be located so that air flows uniformly across the floor of the room. The bottom of the air inlets and outlets shall be no more than 6 inches above the floor. d. Ventilation shall be not less than one air change per minute. e. Emergency ventilation shall be automaticaly activated at not more than 20 percent of the lower flammable limit. It shall be designed to provide 150 percent of the air flow rate, or two changes per minute. f. Exhaust discharge stacks shall be separated horizontally by at least 10 feet above the roof and at least 3 feet above any other building within 25 feet. g. Exhaust ventilation air flow shall be suitably monitored to enable automatic shutdown of the propellant filling line in event of failure of the ventilation system. h. All fan blades utilized by the exhaust and make-up air systems shall be of spark proof material. i The room shall be maintained at a negative pressure in relation of the ambient air. 5. Aerosol container test baths shall be enclosed and provided with exhaust ventilation. 6. Local exhaust ventilation shall be provided for reject aerosol container receptacles that are located within buildings. 7. All equipment involved in the manufature of aerosol products shall be suitably bonded and grounded. 8. Flammable propellent charging and pump rooms shall be provided with an approved gas detection system that is equipped with audible or visible alarms. The gas detection systems shall be interlocked so that at the detection of 20% of the lower explosive limit, the alarm activates and the general ventilation flow rate increases to two air changes per minute. At the detection of 40% of the lower explosive limit, the audible alarm activates. The main propellant line, all equipment in the charging room, and the vaccuum pumps used in conjuction with aerosol can filling, shall all automatically shut down. Annuciation of the gas detection system alarm shall be within the charging and pump rooms and in nearby production areas. 9. Flammable propellant charging and pumps room shall be protected by either a wet pipe or a deluge type automatic sprinler system. 10. Drainage systems shall be procided to direct leaks and spills to a safe location. 11. An explosion suppression system meeting the requirements of NFPA 69 shall be installed in any flammable propellant charging room where personnel are permitted to enter during propellant charging operations. 12. Aerosol laboratores shall be considered as Class A laboratory units, and shall comply with NFPA 45, Standard on Fire Protection for Laboratories Using Chemicals. Tests for total discharge, rate of spray, spray pattern, and net weight shall be conducted with proper ventilation. 13. Aerosol products shall be classified as Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3. All cartons or aerosol products shall be identified with the classification of the aerosol products contained therein. Storage height, clearance requirements and quantity of mateiral stored shall be in accordance with NFPA 30B, Chapter 4, "Storage in Warehouses and Storage Areas", depending on the classification of the aerosol product. 14. Filled or partly filled aerosol containers shall be seperated from all other rubbish and trash and shall be placed in noncombustible waste containers. They shall not be disposed of in compactors, balers, or incinerators that could crush the container or heat its contents. 15. A written and documented preventive maintenance program shall be developed for equipment, machinery, and processes that are crit- ical to firesafe operation of the facility.