Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: STRUCK BY

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 being struck by a falling load of metal fines while working in the separation area where combustible dust was in suspension in the air under normal operating conditions in quantities sufficient to produce explosive or ignitable mixtures: a) Facility: Employees (laborers) were exposed to burn and explosion hazards from class II division I combustible metal iron dust while dumping the 55 gallon drum of metal dust into the separator. The upper safety limit switch was not capable of stopping the rise of the hoist when dumping the dust due to shifting of metal in drum. Among other feasible and acceptable methods to correct the hazards are: 1)Redesign monorail system with permanent stops so that skip hoist does not move pass the point of failure; 2) Re-evaluate the upper safety limit switch to operate under adverse conditions such as the momentum of the shifting dust; 3) Establish regular maintenance program for the skip hoist; 4) Establish housekeeping methods which will prohibit the use of brooms and airhoses. All horizontal surfaces,such as ducts,pipes,hoods,ledges and beams must be kept free from accumulations of dust; 5) Designate areas where combustible dust is in suspension in the air under normal operating condition; 6) Locate the dust collection system outside of the building, or segregate it from the processing area; 7) Establish and implement an employee training program which would include the following: a) training employees in the safe handling of the product and specific requirements applicable to the work environment to control or eliminate the fire and explosion hazards; b) Procedures to be used in case of equipment or process failure that my result in fire and/or explosions; c) develop operating procedures which are reviewed at least once per year and after every process change. 8) Design work area interiors and equipment to be smooth and easy to clean; 9) Redesign equipment to be dust tight including drum enclosures; 10) Eliminate all sources of ignition including: smoking, open flames, lights, and static electricity.