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

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 were likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that workers were exposed to contact with or inhalation of process chemicals or gases capable of causing serious injury or illness such as: a) On or about February 15, 2006, maintenance workers were exposed to the hazards created by excessive airborne levels of hydrogen sulfide in Building #3 where: (a) No line breaking permits were completed for opening process equipment; (b) No locking out or tagging out of valving leading to the 4D Ejection system was performed; (c) No isolating of the vent/drain line for the 4D Ejectors was performed; (d) No pre-flushing of the system with water was performed to remove materials which could liberate Hydrogen Sulfide (also, pre-flushing could detect the presence of blockages and leaks in the system); and, (e) No air monitoring was done of any potentially hazardous hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide or flammable vapor levels. b) Chemical operators regularly opened up process equipment in order to clean or replace traps and filters without performing any air monitoring, locking or tagging out of the equipment to be serviced, and completing a Line Breaking Permit and Lockout/Tagout Permit, potentially exposing them to process chemical contact or inhalation hazards. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to correct this hazard is to completely implement an equipment opening procedure that includes appropriate: pre- flushing, and air monitoring for all potential chemical hazards that could be reasonably expected in the building or process area where the work is taking place and that is applicable to both operations workers and maintenance workers.nce