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

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 EXPLOSIONS IN THAT: ON OR ABOUT JANUARY 15,1991, EMPLOYEES WERE USING A GAS OPERATED CHOP SAW TO CUT AN OPENING IN A 10,000 GALLON GASOLINE TANK FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENTERING AND REMOVING GASOLINE RESIDUE. NO TESTING WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE CONCENTRATION OF FLAMMABLE VAPORS AND/OR GASES PRIOR TO INITIATION OF THE WORK NOR WERE THE EMPLOYEES FAMILIAR WITH CLEANING PROCEDURES, POTENTIAL HAZARDS AND METHODS FOR THEIR CONTROL. AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS TO ESTVABLISH AND ENFORCE AN ADEQUATE HOT WORK PROCEDURE SUCH AS THAT STIPULATED BY ANSI Z117.101989, SAFTEY REQUIREMENTS FOR WORKING IN TANKS AND OTHER CONFINED SPACES AS FOLLOWS: 6.1 PRECAUTIONS BEFORE STARTING HOT WORK 6.1.1 HOT WORK SHALL NOT BE STARTED IN OR ON THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF A CONFINED SPACE UNTIL A PERMIT HAS BEEN ISSUED BY A QUALIFIED AND AUTHORIZED PERSON; 6.1.2 WHEN A CONFINED SPACE THAT HAS CONTAINED A FLAMMABLE OR COMBUSTI COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID, VAPOR, OR GAS IS TO BE GAS FREED BY CLEANING, THE PERMIT SHALL BE ISSUED ONLY AFTER A QUALIFIED PERSON HAS, THROUGH INSPECTION AND TEST, ENSURED THAT THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED; 1) THE CONCENTRATION OF FLAMMABLE VAPORS OR GASES IN THE ATMOSPHERE IS BELOW 10% OF THE LFL. 2) THE LIQUID AND SOLID RESIDUES HAVE BEEN REMOVED AS NECESSARY TO PREVENT THE RELEASE OF FLAMMABLE VAPORS OR GASES THAT WILL RAISE THE CONCENTRATION ABOVE 10% OF THE LFL. 3) ALL PIPING WITHIN THE CONFINED SPACE HAS BEEN FLUSHED WITH WATER, WATER, OR BLOWN WITH STEAM OR AIR, AND HAS BEEN FOUND BY TEST NOT TO CONTAIN CONCENTRATIONS OF FLAMMABLE VAPOR OR GAS ABOVE 10% OF THE LFL. 6.1.3 WHEN THE FLAMMABLE ATMOSPHERE IS TO BE CONTROLLED IN A CONFINED SPACE BY INERTING. THE PROVISIONS OF AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARD CONTROL OF GAS HAZARDS ON VESSELS TO BE REPAIRED, ANSI/NFPA NO. 306-1975, SHALL BE MET.