Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 002 Hazard: CHEMICAL

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: On or about 3/30/88, 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 hazard of a dust explosion/fire which could result in serious bodily burns and injuries. In Building #16, two chemical operators were seriously burned on their upper torso by a deflagration blast emitted from a reactor's open charge port during the hand pouring of the catalyst powder into a vessel through the 14 inch diameter manhole port: a) One feasible and acceptable abatement method, among others, to correct this hazard is: To charge the catalyst powders into the reactor vessel through a closed vessel which would prevent air from entering the reactor.