Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 004 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: A) ON OR ABOUT 9/21/90, EMPLOYEES WERE EXPOSED TO THE HAZARD OF FIRE AND/OR EXPLOSION WHILE ENGAGED IN HARVESTING SILICON CARBIDE FROM AN ELECTRICAL INDUCTION FURNACE. MONITORING WAS NOT PERFORMED FOR CARBON MONOXIDE GAS THAT WAS CREATED BY A MIXTURE OF PULVERIZED COAL AND SILICA. ELECTRICAL INDUCTION FURNACE OPERATING AT A TEMPERATURE OF 2440 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. CARBON MONOXIDE GAS WILL IGNITE AT A TEMPERATURE OF 1128 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS TO INSTALL SAFETY EQUIPMENT, SUCH AS THAT STIPULATED BY NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION, NFPA, NUMBER 86, 1985 EDITION, AND SUBSEQUENT UPDATE 86 EDITION, CHAPTER 4, SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND APPLICATION WHICH STIPULATES: 1) FOR THE PROTECTION OF PERSONNEL AND PROPERTY, CONSIDERATION SHALL BE GIVEN TO THE SUPERVISION AND/OR MONITORING OF CONDITIONS THAT MAY CAUSE, OR MAY LEAD TO, A REAL OR POTENTIAL HAZARD ON ANY INSTALLATION. 2) ALL SAFETY DEVICES SHALL BE LISTED FOR THE SERVICE INTENDED. SAFETY DEVICES SHALL BE APPLIED AND INSTALLED WITH ESTABLISHED SAFE PRACTICES AND MANUFACTURER'S INSTRUCTIONS. 3) FUEL-FIRED UNITS SHALL BE PROVIDED WITH ALL SAFETY DEVICES IN ACCORDANCE WITH ESTABLISHED SAFE PRACTICES. 4) SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS SHALL EXTEND TO ALLIED EQUIPMENT, AND OTHER PROXIMATE EQUIPMENT, TO AVOID ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORY HAZARDS. ABATEMENT OF THIS HAZARD COULD INCLUDE THE INSTALLATION OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT WITH AN AUTOMATIC CARBON MONOXIDE MONITORING SYSTEM, AN AUDIBLE AND VISUAL ALARM DEVICE AND AUTOMATIC SHUT DOWN IN THE EVENT OF POTENTIAL AUTOIGNITION OF COMBUSTIL GAS MIXTURE(S).