Text For Citation: 02 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: LOCKOUT

Nevada Revised Statute 618.375(1): Every employer shall furnish employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his or her employees: a.The employer failed to furnish employment and a place which was free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his or her employees, as follows: 1.The employer failed to analyze each task performed in an electrolytic cell line working zone for the risk of arc flash hazard injury. Employees frequently removed electrolytic cells from the direct current buss system by disconnecting a flexible buss that is bolted in four places to the main direct current buss system. The employer's lockout procedure utilized control circuitry that did not isolate the hazardous electrical energy but held the energy at zero amps by control circuits. The procedure instructed magnesium recovery operators to leave the control circuit in semiautomatic mode, instead of utilizing available energy isolating devices, such as circuit breakers and disconnect switches. 2.The employer failed to provide appropriate personal protective equipment to prevent injury from an arc flash hazard associated with working on equipment that had not been isolated by energy isolating devices. The direct current buss system had not been properly deenergized and unexpectedly energized while employees were removing the bolts that connected electrolytic cell 2-3 to the direct current buss system by way of a flexible buss connector. The employees were severely burned when the 8.1 cal/cm2 fire rated (FR) coveralls they had been provided either melted or caught fire during an arc flash. The employees received second and third degree burns from the arc flash. References: National Fire Protection Association 70E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace (2009 Edition): Page 70E-46, paragraph 310.5(C)(1) Arc Flash Hazard Analysis Procedure "Each task performed in the electrolytic cell line working zone shall be analyzed for the risk of arc flash hazard injury. If there is risk of personal injury, appropriate measures shall be taken to protect persons exposed to the arc flash hazards. These measures shall include one or more of the following: (1) Provide appropriate personal protective equipment [see 310.5(D)(2)] to prevent injury from the arc flash hazard. (2) Alter work procedures to eliminate the possibility of the arc flash hazard. (3) Schedule the task so that work can be performed when the cell line is deenergized" One feasible and acceptable abatement method would be to determine the incident energy at the electrolytic cell shunts while the equipment is energized and also ensure that electrolytic cell shunt removal work is done only after the equipment has been deenergized with energy isolating devices and properly locked out. Also ensure that the employees verify that the equipment is deenergized and cannot unexpectedly reenergize.