Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 005 Hazard: CONFINED

North Carolina General Statute 95-129(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of North Carolina: The employer did not furnish each of his employees conditions of employment and a place of employment free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to: Struck By/ Crushed By / Thermal Burns due to the presence of unclassified electrical equipment in an enclosed room where a natural gas line was being purged. a)Pump room #2 ! on 6/9/09 at or about 10:30 A.M., a contractor was attempting to light the Maxi-Miser on demand natural gas fired water heater in the presence of ConAgra management. This included the improper purging of new fuel supply pipe by removing the pressure gauge on the 3/8 inch pilot line and opening the supply valve for the first time in a series of three openings that allowed about 5 PSI of a pressurized air mixture containing natural gas to be released in an enclosed room that contained ignition sources including unclassified electrical equipment such as motors and circuit panels. Reference: [NFPA 54 Chapter 7.3.3 (2002 version): The open end of piping systems being purged shall not discharge into confined spaces or areas where there is a source of ignition. AND North Carolina State Building Code: Fuel Gas Code 406.7.3 discharge of purged gasses: The open end of piping systems being purged shall not discharge into confined spaces or areas where there are sources of ignition.] Abatement note: One means of abatement would be to use a separate purge pipe which is a permanent section of pipe installed prior to the gas train that would carry the gas out through the ceiling and to the environment outside the building where it could not collect to dangerous levels. This piping system would be independent of the gas train and would not interfere with the lighting of the burner.