Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 002 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 in that employees were exposed to the hazard of fire and smoke in the warehouse area of the establishment: (a) a)In the workplace, warehouse dock area, on or about 08-17-99: The employer did not protect its employees from the recognized hazard of fire from an unprotected dumpster containing combustible product within an enclosed area of the warehouse. The area did not have provisions for the continuation of an automatic sprinkle fire protection system, installed to meet the minimum requirements of the Uniform Building and Fire Prevention Code of the State of New York, Section 1191.3, paragraph (a)(4) which requires that dumpsters or similar devices used for the temporary storage of combustible waste shall be located a sufficient distance from the structure or adequately protected with an automatic fire extinguishing system. Abatement certification must be submitted for this item. Feasible abatement methods to correct this condition may include, but are not limited to, the installation of a dry pipe automatic sprinkler system over the area of the dumpster to provide full coverage of the combustible material within. The system could be an extension of the existing automatic sprinkler system located within the warehouse immediately adjacent to the dumpster area. Another method consistent with the intent of the Uniform Code would be to move the dumpster from under the protective cover of the building roof and walls to a location adequately distanced from the building that would prevent the spread of fire should the dumpster become involved in fire.