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

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 condition and/or practice or purging flammable gases at ground level into the plant environment, where near by ignition sources existed, created an explosion and fire hazard for employees and contractors working at the plant. The operation of blowing down the lines using the valve on the separator filled the operating plant area with flammable gases. Among other means, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to pipe the gases to a safe area where they can be burned by means of a flare.