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

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 fire and explosion resulting from the ignition of flammable vapors in a mixing tank: Employees mixing batches of PROXSEAL (4012) or other products capable of producing flammable vapors in tank M-7 in the second floor lacquer department were exposed to the hazards of serious burns from the ignition of flammable vapors inside of the tank while pouring materials for the product through an open hatchway. No written procedures were developed for the oxygen concentration reduction system used by the employer to prevent the ignition of flammable vapors, and employees were not thoroughly trained in the operation of the system and the duties they were expected to perform. There were no means provided to determine that the oxygen concentration had been effectively reduced in the tank prior to adding materials capable of generating a static spark.