Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 002A Hazard: EXPLOSION

Section 6(a) of the Puerto Rico Occupational Safety and Health Act: 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 physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to: release, fire, and explosion: Seccion 6(a) de la Ley de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo de Puerto Rico: El patrono no proveyo empleo y un sitio de empleo libre de riesgos reconocidos que esten causando o que puedan causar muerte o dano fisico a los empleados, por cuanto empleados estaban expuestos a: escape, fuego y explosion: The NFPA 30 Flammable and Combustible Liquid Code 2008 Edition is a recognized Standard of recommended practices that provides safeguards for the storage, handling and use of flammable and combustible liquids. a)At Caribbean Petroleum Refining in Bayamon (CAPECO), employees that worked performing routine task such as tank operator,waste treatment operator,loading rack operator, among others. Employees were exposed or could be exposed to flammable and combustible release, fire and or explosionduring the performance of their duties. At the tank farm area the employer stored gasoline, jet fuel, fuel oil, and diesel in above ground tanks, ranging from 5,000 to 500,000 barrels. The employer did not have a formal written operating procedures for safely filling of storage tanks and for the transfering according to NFPA 30 - 21.7.1.1 . The employer provided documents that established which valves had to be closed or opened during the fill or transfer operations from tank to tank or from dock to tank, but did not mention in which order to proceed neither indicated any safety measure. (See Binder 3 Tab 2(a) OSHA Production NO. 2 11/20/09 - General instructions for the work to be performed during the shift). (See Binder 4 Tab 5 OSHA Production NO. 2 11/20/09 -Tranfering sheet). Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is: 1.Follow NFPA 30 - 21.7.1.1 Facilities with aboveground tanks that receive and transfer Class I liquids from mainline pipelines or marine vessels shall establish and follow formal written procedures to prevent overfilling of tanks. Written procedures shall include the following: a.instructions covering methods to chek for lineup and receipt of initial delivery to tank designated to receive shipment. b.provisions for training and monitoring the performance of operating personnel by supervisors. c.schedules and procedures for inspection and testing of gauging equipment and high level instrumentation and related systems.El codigo NFPA 30 Liquidos Inflamables y Combustibles edicion 2008 es un reglamento de practicas reconocidas por la industria, que proporcionan las salvaguardias para el manejo, almacenaje y uso de liquidos inflamables y combustibles. a)En "Caribbean Petroleum Refining" en Bayamon (CAPECO), empleados que trabajaban realizando tareas rutinarias tales como operador de tanque, operador de tratamiento de aguas, operador de area de carga, entre otras fueron o podrian estar expuestos a liberacion de productos quimicos inflamables, combustible, fuego y/o explosion durante el desempeno de sus deberes. En el area de la granja el patrono almacenaba en tanques sobre el terreno gasolina, "jet-fuel", "fuel oil" y diesel, con capacidades que fluctuaban entre 500 a 500,000 barriles. El patrono no desarrollo procedimientos operacionales seguros para el llenado y transferencia de tanques de acuerdo al NFPA 30 - 21.7.1.1 . El patrono proveyo documentos que indicaba cuales valvulas iban a estar cerradas o abiertas en una operacion de transferencia de tanque a tanque o de tanque a muelle, pero no indicaban el orden a seguir ni indicaban ninguna medida de seguridad. (Ver Carpeta 3 Pestana 2(a) OSHA PRODUCTION NO. 2 11/20/09 - General Instructions for the work to be performed during the shift). (Ver Carpeta 4 Pestana 5 OSHA PRODUCTION NO. 2 11/20/09 Transfering sheet). Entre varios metodos, un metodo de correccion aceptable y factible para corregir este riesgo es: 1.Seguir el NFPA 30 - 21.7.1.1 Las Facilidades con tanques sobre el terreno que reciben y transfieren liquidos Clase 1 a traves de tuberias desde el muelle o desde la barcaza deben establecer y seguir procedimientos escritos formales para prevenir el sobrellenado de tanque. Los procedimientos escritos deben incluir: a)instrucciones para verificar la alineacion de valvula y recibo de la entrega inicial al tanque designado para recibir el embarque. b)provisiones para adiestrar y monitorear el desempeno del personal de operaciones por sus supervisores. c)la programacion y procedimientos para las pruebas e inspeccion de los equipos de medicion e instrumentacion y sistemas relacionados.on