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: a flash fire which occurred while the employees were loading a drier with a material that contained heptane. a). Establishment (BLDG 1) - Employees who were loading a drier with a product which contained heptane, were exposed to a flash fire and received severe burns when the heptane vapors ignited. Engineering controls and work practices were not sufficient to prevent a flash fire from starting inside the drier, (re: NFPA 77, Static Electricity, Chap. 2). A feasible method of abatement includes, but is not limited to; 1) Installation of an independent measure of the nitrogen blanket in the drier to ensure the oxygen level is below that which will support combustion. 2). Investigate alternate means and methods of intermediate product packaging to minimize the potential for static discharge when handling these materials. 3). Provide physical chokes/rotary valves/fast acting dampers and valves to block any flame front that might be produced in the enclosure areas. 4). Provide explosion protection for all processes involving pouring/charging of flammable materials. NOTE:ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM. See page 2,"Notification of Corrective Action" for instructions.