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

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 exposed to explosion, deflagration, or other fire hazards due to a lack of deflagration relief venting. a) Plant, South Side, Silo No. 2 - A fire erupted inside the wood silo causing an explosion that blew the top off the silo. The silo was not equipped with adequate deflagration venting, thus exposing employees to a hazard, as observed on or about April 13, 2010. AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS TO: 1. Follow NFPA 664, Standard for the Prevention of Fires and Explosions in Wood processing and Woodworking Facilities (2007 Edition), Section 8.10.3.2, including, but not limited to, installing either deflagration relief venting designed to relieve the deflagration to a safe area and maintain the pressure below the yield strength of the vessel OR 2. Utilize an explosion suppression system designed, installed and maintained in accordance with NFPA 69, Standard on Explosion Prevention Systems, Section 10.4, Basic Design Consideration OR 3. Follow all the elements of NFPA 68, Section 11.2, which states in part that data sheets, installation details, and design calculations shall be developed for each vent closure, for review by an authority that could verify the vent area is sufficient to prevent deflagration pressure from exceeding enclosure strength ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED