Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 009 Hazard: REFINERY

29 CFR 1910.119(j)(5): The employer did not correct deficiencies in equipment th at are outside acceptable limits (defined by the process safety information in p aragraph (d) of this section) before further use or in a safe and timely manner when necessary means are taken to assure safe operation. A.The employer does not ensure deficiencies in equipment are corrected. These violations were observed on or about May 2010, in the Platformer Unit where grou nding cables had been removed from equipment and not replaced. The grounding str ips on Heat Exchanger 19-EX-03B, 19-EX-14A, 19-EX-04B and pump 31502 motors Siem ens (460 volt motor order numbers 2144282002-2 and 2144282002-1) in the Platform er area are not connected. This condition can expose employees to fire and explo sion hazards. B.The employer does not ensure that vessels are secured. This viol ation was observed on or about 05/24/10 when it was noted that heat exchangers i n the Platformer Unit had nuts missing from their anchor bolts, exposing employe es to a hazard of being struck by falling equipment or by flying debris. Some nu ts are missing and others are clearly loose. These conditions are located on Hea t Exchangers identified as 18-EX- 02B, 18-EX-01B, 19-EX-03B, and 19-EX-06B, loca ted in the Platformer area. C.The employer does not maintain fireproofing on phy sical structures at the facility. This violation was observed on or about April 2010. Areas of fireproofing had been removed from vessel supports in the #1 & #2 Platformer Units to add and rem ove I- beams. The fireproofing was never patched up on the existing steel and fi reproofing was never installed on the new steel beams. The supporting steel is p art of the structure for vessel TRIM-COND-EX-2002A, containing light hydrocarbon s. The areas of chipped out fireproofing allow rain water to seep between the re maining insulation and the I-beam and contribute to excessive corrosion on the I -beam behind the fireproofing. Employees are exposed to structural collapse, str uck-by and fire hazards. D.The employer does not ensure deficiencies in equipmen t are corrected or that means are taken to assure safe operation. This violation was observed on or about May 7, 2010 when it was noted that the following three valves were so fouled they could not be closed. 1)The flare Block Valve next to the Flare Diverter Valve 2)The valve next to the #1 TOx (thermal oxidizer) Inlet Isolation Valve 3)The #1 TOx Inlet I solation Valve These valves regulate tail gas flow from the SRU, to either the T hermal Oxidizer or the Flare. The inability to close these three valves had prev iously caused overpressure events in mid-December 2009 and on February 3, 2010. In spite of these incidents the three valves were still not able to be closed on February 5, 2010 when their failure to close led to an explosion that destroyed the Belco Unit. This condition can expose employees to fire and explosion hazar ds.Pursuant to 29 C. F. R. 1903.19, within ten (10) calendar days of the date of this citation, the employer must submit documentation that it is in compliance with the standard, including describing the steps it is taking to ensure employe es are not exposed to these hazards. One method of abatement among others is to train employees to recognize these ha zards and report them to maintenance so they can be promptly repaired.