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

P.L. 91-596 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 violent spray of steam and condensate, hot black liquor, smelt, and boiler parts during the explosion of a Recovery Boiler: a) In the Basement and on the First Floor near the #2 Recovery Boiler - Employees working around the boiler were exposed to a violent explosion during an attempt to light-off the Recovery Boiler, on or about 8/17/2002. A continuous flow of atomized #6 fuel oil was introduced into the boiler for at least several minutes without purging, exposing employees to the hazard of an explosion due to the catastrophic failure of the boiler; and associated hazards of being struck-by flying boiler and related equipment parts and the hazard of being burned by the released boiler contents - steam, condensate, hot black liquor, and smelt. Among other methods, feasible and acceptable means of abatement are 1) to establish suitable operating procedures to preclude the possibility of an unsafe fuel/air ratio condition as required in the 1969 edition of NFPA No. 85D, paragraph 422(c) and 2) during light-off, if the flame is not established within 10 seconds, close the igniter shutoff valve and wait a period of at least one minute before attempting to relight as required in the 1969 edition of NFPA No. 85D, paragraph 522(n).ph