Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 009 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: 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: API - 570 - NOV 2009 is a recognized Industry standard of recommended practices that Covers inspection, rating, repair, and alteration procedures for metallic and fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) piping systems and their associated pressure relieving devices that have been placed inservice. a)Employees that worked at Caribbean Petroleum Refining in Bayamon performing routine task such as tank operator,waste treatment operator, loading rack operator, among others were or could be exposed to flammable and combustible release,fire and or explosion. In the Tank Farm Area there was approximately 45 above ground steel tanks ranging in capacity from 500 to 500,000 barrels which were used for the storage and distribution of gasoline, diesel, fuel oil, and jet fuel The employer did not develop an inspection plan to inspect the mechanical integrity for all piping systems (flanges, valves, pumps, etc.) The employer provided a copy of a PSM program that mentioned the mechanical integrity. At the same time they informed us that the program was current until the year 2000 when they stopped the refining process and only mantained the tank farm operations, and accordingly they were not using the PSM program anymore. Also they provided some documents of some piping inspections; see binder 3 tab 2(c) OSHA PRODUCTION No.2 11/20/09 sheet P-2, P-4, P-6, X-1 pages 357, 361, 364, and 365. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is: 1.Follow API 570 - 5.1.1.1 Development of an Inspection Plan. An inspection plan shall be established for all piping systems within the scope of this code. The inspection plan shall be developed by the inspector and/or engineer. API - 570 - NOV 2009 es un reglamento de practicas reconocidas por la industria que abarca procedimientos de inspeccion, clasificacion, reparacion y alteracion para sistemas de tuberias metalicas y de plastico reforzado con fibra de vidrio y sus dispositivos de liberacion de presion conectados que hayan sido puesto en servicio. a)Empleados que trabajaban en Caribbean Petroleum Refining en Bayamon,realizando tareas rutinarias tales como: operador de tanque, operador de tratamiento de aguas, operador de area de carga, entre otros, fueron o podrian estar expuestos a liberacion de productos quimicos inflamables, combustible, fuego y/o explosion. En la granja de tanques habian alrededor de 45 tanques de acero sobre el terreno, con capacidades que fluctuaban entre 500 a 500,000 barriles los cuales se utilizaban para almacenamiento y distribucion de gasolina, diesel, aceite combustible y combustible para aviones. El patrono no desarrollo un plan de inspeccion, para inspeccionar la integridad mecanica de todo el sistema de tuberia ("flanges", valvulas, bombas, etc.). El patrono proveyo una copia del Programa de PSM que menciona integridad mecanica. Al mismo tiempo nos informaron que el programa se mantuvo al dia hasta el ano 2000, luego de esto ellos no tenian proceso de refineria y solo se quedaron operacion de la granja de tanques, por consiguiente pararon de usar el programa de PSM. Ademas estos proveyeron algunos documentos de algunas inspecciones de tuberias; ver carpeta 3 pestana 2(c) OSHA PRODUCTION NO 2 11/20/09 sheet P-2, P-4, P-6, X-1 paginas 357, 361, 364y 365. Un metodo seguro entre otros metodos aceptables para corregir este riesgos es: 1.Seguir el API 570 - 5.1.1.1 Desarrollo de un Plan de Inspeccion. Un plan de inspeccion debe ser establecido para todos los sistemas de tuberias dentro del alcance de este codigo. El plan de inspeccion debe ser desarrollado por un inspector y/o ingeniero.