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 of likely to cause death or serious physical harm to emloyees in that employees were exposed to: a) On or about 9/12/90, employees were exposed to the hazard of fire and/or explosion while engaged in harvesting silicon carbide from an electrical induction furnace. Employees were not thoroughly trained as to the nature of the hazards and conditions involved in this process. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to establish and enforce an adequate training program such as that stipulated by National Fire Protection Association, NFPA, Number 86, 1985 Edition and subsequent updated NFPA 86 Editions; Section 1-6 Operator and Maintenance Personnel Training, essential elements of the training program would include: 1) Thoroughly instruct and train all personnel under supervision of experienced person(s). 2) Reqiure personnel to demonstrate an understanding of the equipment and it's operation to assure knowledge of and practice of safe operating procedures. 3) Establish regular retraining and testing to maintain a high level of proficiency and effectiveness. 4) Provide employees access to operating instructions at all times. 5) Operator training shall include, where applicable, combustion of fuel-air mixtures, expolosion hazards, sources of ignition, functions of control and safety devices, handling of special atmospheres and the handling and processing of hazardous materials. 6) The equipment manufacturer shall provide operating instructions. These shall include: schematic piping and wiring diagrams, start-up procedures, shut down procedures, emergency procedures including those occasioned by loss of special atmospheres, electric power, or other essential utilities and maintenance procedures.