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 hazards of rapidly expanding steam vapor/molten metal explosion. a) CENTRAL MELT/LARGE DIECAST DEPARTMENT: EMPLOYEES WORKING IN THE FOUNDRY IN THE VICINITY OF THE CENTRAL FURNACE AND DIECASTERS # 23, 24 AND 25 WERE EXPOSED TO THE HAZARD OF AN EXPLOSION BECAUSE POOLS OF WATER WERE ALLOWED TO ACCUMULATE BENEATH THE THREE LARGE DIECAST MACHINES. MOLTEN METAL ACCIDENTLY SPILLING DURING ANY PART OF THE OPERATION COULD ENTRAP THE WATER THEREBY CAUSING AN EXPLOSION. AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD WOULD BE TO REPAIR ALL WATER LEAKS IN THE LARGE DIECASTERS COOLING SYSTEMS THAT IS RESULTING IN THE STANDING POOLS OF WATER UNDER AND AROUND THE DIECASTERS, ESTABLISH A MORE EFFECTIVE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM FOR THE DIECASTERS TO MINIMIZE FUTURE WATER LEAKS AND IMPLEMENT A ZERO TOLERANCE FOR THE PRESENCE OF STANDING WATER IN ALL MOLTEN METAL HANDLING AREAS.