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 explosion and burn hazards associated with the hydrogen gas furnaces. Round Wire Department: 1) Employees were required to clean the stainless steel tubes of the TBJ, the SM Engineering, and breakdown annealing furnaces, which contained flammable hydrogen gas, with spark producing tools. 2) Employees used compressed air to clean particulate matter from the hydrogen gas filled tubes of the three annealing furnaces. 3) Spark producing stainless steel leads were used to feed the wire stock through the stainless steel tubes. 4) The electrically operated fan used to exhaust the hydrogen gas from the ends of the tubes on the three annealing furnaces was not equipped with an alarm to notify the operator of a fan failure. 5) A method of detecting hydrogen gas leaks was not provided within the establishment. Several feasible and useful methods to correct these hazards, among other methods, but not limited to: 1) Utilize non-sparking tools or purge the tubes with an inert gas prior to performing cleaning operations. 2) Utilize an inert gas to blow particulate matter from the tubes of the annealing furnaces. 3) Utilize non-sparking leads or purge the tubes with an inert gas prior to feeding the wire stock through the tubes. 4) Install an alarm to notify the annealer of a failure within the ventilation system. 5) Install hydrogen gas detectors within departments where hydrogen gas is piped or areas using hydrogen gas.