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

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 an ammonia inhalation hazard: (a)Kasel Associated Industries, at 3315 Walnut Street, Denver, CO: On 7/11/07, Kasel Associated Industries 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 an ammonia inhalation hazard. The employer used an ammonia refrigeration system for storage of raw material. The system contained approximately five hundred pounds of ammonia. The mechanical room contained the machinery for the system. The employer did not ensure that an ammonia gas detection system was provided for the mechanical room to alert employees to a leak of ammonia. This condition exposed employees to an ammonia inhalation hazard. (b)Kasel Associated Industries, at 3315 Walnut Street, Denver, CO: On 7/11/07, Kasel Associated Industries 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 an ammonia inhalation hazard. The employer used an ammonia refrigeration system for storage of raw material. The system contained approximately five hundred pounds of ammonia. The mechanical room contained the machinery for the system. The employer did not ensure that a mechanical ventilation system dedicated to the ventilation of the mechanical room was adequate for the approximately five hundred pounds of ammonia in the system. This condition exposed employees to an ammonia inhalation hazard. Abatement Note: Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (See enclosed "Sample Abatement-Certification Letter"). Abatement Note: Among other methods, feasible abatement methods include: 1.Installation of an ammonia gas detection system in compliance with ASHRAE 15- 2001 "Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems", Section 8.11.2.1. Ensure that the detector(s) are located in area(s) where refrigerant from a leak will concentrate. Ensure that the alarm is set to be triggered at a value no greater than the ACGIH TLV for ammonia (25ppm). 2Modification of the existing exhaust system and/or addition to the existing exhaust system to ensure that compliance with ASHRAE 15-2001 "Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems", Section 8.11.4 is achieved, where the ventilation rate is related to the quantity of ammonia refrigerant by the equation Q = 100 x square root of G. Q = cfm ; G = pounds of ammonia.