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: the hazards of severe thermal burns from being struck by hot liquid mixtures and/or ignited flammable hydrogen gas resulting from the uncontrolled reaction of aluminum with water and/or other substances and ignition of the flammable gas possibly by, among other sources, use of tools capable of producing sparks, while mixing, storing, and using aluminum-containing coatings. Among other methods, one feasible and useful method to correct this condition is the development and implementation of written standard operating procedures for the mixing, storage, and use of the aluminum-containing coatings to define the manufacturing steps, measures to prevent runaway reaction of the process, and measures for employees to take should the mixture become unstable. Factors that should be considered in the procedures should include but not be limited to: A)The temperature of the coating mixture as it is manufactured, handled and stored; B)Hydrogen gas levels emitted as the mixture is manufactured, handled and stored; C)The alkalinity of the color mixture as it is manufactured, handled and stored; D)Process changes from normal past operating practice such as size of the batch, storage length of a mixture, limitation of ingredients, use of anti-foaming compounds D)Control of ignition sources such as the use of non-sparking tools to handle the dry aluminum powder, as recommended by the manufacturer of the powder, and use of approved electrical equipment for potential hazardous locations.