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

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 an over-pressurization and explosion hazard while purging compressed gas cylinders. The following conditions/practices contributed to the existence of this hazard: a) Employees were required to purge low pressures cylinders such as a 3AA-480 rated at 480 pounds per square inch (psi) from a 2400 to 2600 psi system without a regulator between the two systems to reduce the pressure from the higher system. b) Employees were required to purge low pressure cylinders from a high pressure system without the protection of a pressure relief device on the low pressure side to protect the operator in the advent of an over-pressurization of the system. c) Employees were required to purge low pressure cylinders from a high pressure system, the gauge used to measure the pressure on the low pressure side was not regularly calibrated to accurately indicate the actual pressure of the system being processed. Abatement certification and documentation required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement. Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photographic or video evidence of abatement or other written records.