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

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer does not ensure employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees. Employees were exposed to the hazard of chemical burns from concentrated sulfuric acid and the hazard of being struck-by debris caused by the leakage and/or rupture failure of a storage tank operating under pressure: The employer pressurizes storage tanks which are not designed to be pressure vessels. This violation most recently occurred on or about August 30, 2004 and times prior thereto, when the Plant 1 Sulfuric Acid Storage Tank was pressurized at over 15 psig. The storage tank was not designed and built as a pressure vessel. Sulfuric acid was transferred from the storage tank to the dip tanks by pressurizing the storage tank with compressed plant air. Feasible methods to protect employees may include, but are not limited to, the following: 1.Store sulfuric acid in an atmospheric or non-pressurized system. 2.Transfer sulfuric acid from storage tank to dip tanks using gravity flow. If gravity flow cannot be utilized, transfer sulfuric acid from storage tank to dip tanks utilizing a pump specifically recommended for sulfuric acid service. ***Pursuant to 1903.19, the employer must submit an abatement plan within 30 days describing the steps it is taking to ensure compliance, and its schedule for completing these actions. The abatement plan must include a description of how these steps protect employees from the hazard of chemical burns and/or struck-by debris caused by the leakage and/or rupture failure of a sulfuric acid storage tank; the plan must describe industry recommended practices, experts consulted, etc., during the creation of the abatement plan. The abatement plan must describe future steps the employer will take to ensure the integrity and safety of the sulfuric acid storage tank, such as, but not limited to, maintenance and operating procedures developed to ensure continued protection of employees from the hazards caused by the leakage and/or rupture failure of a sulfuric acid storage tank. Progress reports must be submitted every 30 days describing steps that have been achieved, whether it is meeting the schedule set forth in its abatement plan, and if not why not.***nt