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 hazards of incompatible chemical storage, which could lead to a fire or explosion: (a) Outdoor flammable storage area: A pile containing sixty-eight 53 gallon drums of Isopropyl Alcohol was stored within thirteen inches of a pile containing eleven 275 gallon totes of Phosphoric Acid on or about 9-16-09. The inadvertent mixing of these two chemicals could create spontaneous combustion of the alcohol, potentially causing employee injury or death. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method of abatement would be to separate the incompatible materials by an appropriate separation distance, or place a physical separation such as a berm between them.en