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

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 storage of chemically incompatible Acids and Caustic Alkalis, which when inadvertently mixed, will produce hazardous acid gases and mists: OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE 29 CFR 1910.176(c): Storage areas shall be kept free from accumulation of materials that constitute hazards from tripping, fire, explosion, or pest harborage: a) Located in the Chemical Storage Building, chemically incompatible materials such as 15hydrochloric acid totes and caustic sodium hypochlorite and sodium bisulfite alkali were stored together or were adjacent to each other, exposing employees to possible dangerous acid gases, mists or fire and explosion should the substances become inadvertently mixed or come in contact with each other. b) Located in live dock, adjacent (west) to the chlorine room, chemically incompatible materials such as phosphoric/citric acid and caustic 12.5sodium hypochlorite alkali were stored together, adjacent and in close proximity to each other, exposing employees to possible dangerous acid gases, mists or fire and explosion should the substances become inadvertently mixed or come in contact with each other. AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS: Chemically incompatible compounds shall be separated using dikes, barrier walls, separate rooms or other means as recommended by their material safety data sheets and the chemical manufacturers recommendations so as to prevent mixing in the event of fire, explosion or container damage. Abatement Note: Abatement certification is required for this item using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET.