Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 003 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 the employer failed to prevent the contamination of the solution (used to destroy the detonators) with incompatible metals such as copper, iron and mercury thereby exposing employees to an explosion hazard: (a) Talon Manufacturing Company Inc., Plant #7, Lower Alpoca, Demilitarization Procedure for Detonators. The same bucket was being used to drain the propyl glycol solution from the detonators and leads thereby allowing the solution used to destroy the detonators to become contaminated with brass from the casings on the leads. The brass could react in this solution and form copper azide. (b)Talon Manufacturing Company Inc., Plant #7, Lower Alpoca, Demilitarization Procedures for Detonators. The water used in the detonation solution was from a local well and no quality control tests were conducted on the water to assure that it was not contaminated with iron, copper or mercury which could form highly sensitive explosive azide salts. (c)Talon Manufacturing Company Inc., Plant #7, Lower Alpoca, Demilitarization Procedures for Detonators. An iron spade was also being used to stir the solution which could contaminate it with iron. (d)Talon Manufacturing Company Inc., Plant #7, Lower Alpoca, Demilitarization Procedures for Detonators. A glass mercury thermometer was being used to measure the solution temperature in the new process building on 12/3/96. Accidental breakage of the thermometer in the azide solution could produce mercury azide, a highly sensitive explosive compound. AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS: a.Use separate buckets in the recovery of leads and detonators from the glycol solution. b.Establish strict quality control on the water used in the destruction solutions and the glycol solutions. c.Prohibit the use of iron or steel tools in the destruction solutions. d.Prohibit the use of glass mercury thermometers in the azide solutions.