Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 002 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 hazard of confined space entry leading to death from asphyxiation or explosion from insufficient oxygen or combustible vapors: a) Employees are required to enter tanker trucks to perform valve repairs. Tanker trucks can contain up to 9000 gallons of fuel with interior spaces sized 5' x 5'. The confined space was not monitored prior to entry for oxygen concentration or flammability. Employees were not provided with the benefit of life lines or harnesses to effect safe exit in the event of an emergency. Employees did not use spark resistent tools inside the confined space contaminated with kerosene. The stand-by man was not equipped with a suitable respirator for entry into the space. The mechanic performing the maintenance work normally enters the space wearing a supplied-air respirator, but without provision provision for emergency escape. Violation observed on or about 5/9/90 Among others, feasible and acceptable abatement methods include but are not limited to: 1) Ventilate thoroughly the space inside the tank truck and monitor the atmosphere inside the truck prior to and during entry with a device capable of accurately and reliably measuring percent oxygen, percent lower flammable limit and appropriate toxic vapors. 2) Provide a Stand-By/Rescue Men topside capable of extracting the inside man in the even of emergency using life lines, wristlets and/or body harness. 3) Use only spark-resistent tools to effect repairs inside the kerosene tanker. 4) Establish and implement written confined space entry procedures for tank truck entry which use ASNI Z 117.1977 as a reference. 5) Thoroughly train employees and supervisors in these procedures and enforce these new safe procedures. b) Employees are required to enter pits periodically to vacuum them out when fuel and waste have accumulated and/or to affect repairs on valves. This pit has contained 12"-18" of run-off from spills of fuel and waste from the ramp ways or from kerosene leaking from valves/ flanges inside the pits. Air monitoring for oxygen, combustibility or toxics was not performed prior to entry. Employees have entered this space without the benefit of lifelines or harnesses to affect safe rescue in the event of an emergency. Employees have utilized conventional tools instead of spark resistant tools when conducting repairs. Written procedures governing the safe entry of this pit were not prepared to assure the prevention of death or serious physical harm. ABATEMENT NOTE: Among others, one feasible and acceptable method of abatement would include: 1) Ventilate thoroughly the space inside the pits and monitor the atmosphere inside the pits prior to and during entry with a device capable of accurately and reliably measuring precent oxygen, percent lower flammable limit and appropriate toxic vapors. 2) Provide a Stand-By/Rescue Man topside capable of extracting the inside man in the event of emergency using life lines, wristlets and/ or body harness. 3) Use only spark-resistent tools to effect repairs inside the pits. 4) Establish and implement written confined space entry procedures for pit entry which use ANSI Z117.1977 as a reference. 5) Thoroughly train employees and supervisors in these procedures and enforce these new safe procedures.