Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 003 Hazard: UNAPEQUIP

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 of International Paper Company, 705 Colliers Lane, Bastrop LA were exposed to the collapse of the North Heavy Black Liquor Storage Tank on or about October 31, 1997, which exposed the employees to the hazards and injuries related to the potential release of large quantities of black liquor (heavy and weak), green liquor and white liquor. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to; a)Develop a mechanical integrity program for all the tanks that: 1. will take into consideration the higher corrosion rates of the kraft liquors. 2. will increase the frequency of the scheduled inspections and incorporates the means and methodology to continually monitor the tanks. 3. will develop a baseline inspection and determines the corrosion rate from this baseline. (i.e. the manufacturer of the tank conducts the initial UT of the entire tank prior to the tank being placed in service to obtain the actual thickness of the plates instead of using nominal dimensions. Then approx 1 year later the employer conducts another UT on the entire tank. This will establish the baseline and determine the corrosion rate as long as the service conditions do not change). 4. does not allow for the manipulation of data to extend the life of the tanks. Calculations should be conducted worst case conditions instead of instantaneous conditions and should be performed in the same manner for each tank. 5. will set the criteria to be used for the removal from service and the replacement of tanks once minimum thicknesses are reached. This criteria should be based on the design criteria for the tanks and the safety of the employees. b)Tank evaluations of inspection results and any resulting calculations should be conducted by personnel qualified in tank design. The employer should provide or require adequate training to those assigned to conducting the calculations and evaluation of the results. experience should be defined using the same criteria as API 653 Para 4.10 criteria for tank inspectors. c)See a 4 above. d)When modifying, changing or testing various materials or substances that are to be added to a tank, laboratory conditions should be utilized prior to actually adding the materials or substances into the tanks. This will determine the effects of the new material or substance on the tank shell or to the material already in the tank prior to actual in-service usage. e)Change the location of where material (i.e. salt cake, black liquor, steam, other additives, etc) enters the tanks to prevent or limit the formation of "gas" bubbles withinthe liquors. This will also assist in controlling the corrosion problem since corrosive material added from the bottom increases the corrosion rate of the tanks. f)Tanks should be operated at all times within the limitations of the design criteria. g)See a 2 above.