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

Section 5(a)(1) of Public Law 91-596, 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: Fire and explosion hazard for allowing ignition sources near the well bore and where the gas line was being bled off. (a)Highway 24, Liberty, MS, just west of the Amite county line - On or about June 6, 2007 employees were performing maintenance on a well bore. The employees were bleeding natural gas from the line. The following ignition sources were in the area: lighted cigarettes and a lighter were located within a few feet of the well and next to the gas line. Among methods of abatement, one feasible and acceptable method to abate the conditions would be for the employer to enforce his own policy and/or abide by the American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practices #54. The "Recommended" Industry practice is to prohibit smoking in the area.