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

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 the hazard of being struck by fragments of plastic pipe used to transport compressed air for the operation of air operated tools and air used for cleaning, in the event the piping ruptures: a. Throughout the maintenance shop, polyvinyl chloride ( PVC ) plastic pipe was used to transport compressed air in exposed above ground locations, for the operation of air operated tools and air used for cleaning, a practice not recommended by the Plastics Pipe Institute and prohibited by ANSI/ASME B31.8-1986, Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping Systems standard, on or about 06/23/05. Among other methods one feasible and acceptable method to correct this hazard is to replace the PVC piping with a type that is approved for transporting compressed gases in exposed above ground locations, such as iron or steel piping.