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

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): 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: 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 fire, deflagration and explosion hazards. The most recent example of this was found on the job site located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701 where the employer has employees working in the facility where the nature of the process produces residual combustible dust and exposes employees to fire and explosion hazards. Instances include but are not limited to: 1) Employees relying on the enclosure less dust collection system they have in place in the ?filter room? on the north end of the facility to filtrate the fugitive dust out of the air yet the ?filter room? is inadequate with the following instance of failure that make using it a greater hazard to the employee. Specifically the installation of 7 individual dust collection systems comprised of a first stage cyclone, and enclosure less bag manifold connecting 4 bags and the 4 enclosure less bags; all in the one room has created a failure to provide adequate separation between the bags as outlined in Section 7.13.1.1.2(4)(h) of the 2013 NFPA 654; this section allows enclosure less dust collector systems to be installed indoors only if the manifold assemblies systems are separated by a distance of 20 feet from each other. Among other methods, feasible and acceptable methods of abatement are: i. The employer can upgrade the current dust collector to meet the NFPA 654 Section 7 requirements. ii. The employer can purchase and install a new system that meets NFPA 654 Section 7 requirements. 2) 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 fire, deflagration and explosion hazards. The most recent example of this was found on the job site located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701 where the employer has employees working in the facility while relying on the thermal oil heaters located along the east wall of the facility to heat the thermal fluid (oil) for the ovens yet the location of the oil heating system boilers using it a greater hazard to the employee. Specifically the boilers are fueled by natural gas; the natural gas piping valve train does not include the customary double safety shutoff valve. The boilers present two hazards: a. They are considered an ignition source for combustible dust deflagrations/explosions by Section 9.6 of the 2013 NFPA 654 which requires that they be located outdoors or in a separate dust-free room/building and that combustion air come from outside. b. If a boiler explodes due to known common failure modes (e.g. over firing, loss of flame, etch.) a pressure wave would shake the building dispersing all the accumulated combustible dust near the boiler and start a secondary explosion with potentially catastrophic results. Among other methods, feasible and acceptable methods of abatement are: i. The employer can upgrade the current dust collector to meet the NFPA 654 Section 7 requirements. ii. The employer can purchase and install a new system that meets NFPA 654 Section 7 requirements. 3) 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 fire, deflagration and explosion hazards. The most recent example of this was found on the job site located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701 where the employer has employees working in the facility while relying on nonmetallic duct, in this case four inch PVC pipe to move the discharge from the centrifugal fan; the PVC is not conductive, metal or noncombustible thus increasing the potential for employee injury as the result of a fire or deflagration/explosion Among other methods, feasible and acceptable methods of abatement are: i. The employer can upgrade the current dust collector to meet the NFPA 654 Section 9 requirements. ii. The employer can purchase and install a new system that meets NFPA 654 Section 9 requirements.