Text For Citation: 02 Item/Group: 001C Hazard: CHEMICAL

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 the hazards of explosion (detonations and/or deflagrations) due to runaway chemical reactions an event for which the employer had not adequately trained his employees in methods of prevention and/or controlling: BLDG 266: THE EMPLOYER FAILED TO ADEQUATELY TRAIN HIS EMPLOYEES IN METHODS OF PREVENTING AND/OR CONTROLLING A VIOLENT CHEMICAL REACTION WHICH DETONATED AND/OR DEFLAGRATED DURING THE EXPERIMENTAL MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVES WHEN AN INAPPROPRIATE QUANTITY OF OXIDIZER WAS ADDED TOO QUICKLY TO A NITRATABLE BASE. AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS TO ESTABLISH A WRITTEN TRAINING PROGRAM AND TO ADEQUATELY TRAIN EMPLOYEES WITH THE PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM AND TRAINING WILL INCLUDE BUT NOT NECESSARILY BE LIMITED TO: A. PREPARATION OF PROCESS FLOW SHEETS, THAT IDENTIFY POTENTIAL EMERGENCIES WHICH COULD DEVELOP DURING START-UP, SHUT DOWN AND NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS AND METHODS WHEREBY EMPLOYEES WILL BE PROTECTED. B. PREPARATION OF PIPING AND INSTRUMENTATION DIAGRAMS (P& ID) TO IDENTIFY CONTROLLERS, SENSORS, INSTRUMENTS, VALVES AND RECORDERS THAT WILL DETECT PROCESS SYSTEM ANOMALIES TO ENSURE THAT EMPLOYEES ARE AWARE OF THE LOCATION AND SIGNIFICANCE OF ALL ELEMENTS OF THE SAFETY SYSTEM AND ARE TRAINED IN METHODS THEY ARE TO USE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANOMALY ATTENUATION AND/OR EVACUATION. C. OBTAIN AND/OR PREPARE MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS FOR ALL REACTANTS AND INTERMEDIATE CHEMICALS TO ENSURE THAT EMPLOYEES ARE AWARE OF THE DANGERS OF THESE CHEMICALS AND ARE TRAINED IN THE METHODS OF PROTECTING THEMSELVES IN THE EVENT OF EXPOSURE. D. PREPARE DETAILED PROCESS EQUIPMENT OPERATING PROCEDURES AND TRAIN EMPLOYEES TO ENSURE THEY CAN SAFELY OPERATE ALL EQUIPMENT. E. PREPARE DETAILED CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATING PROCEDURES AND TRAIN EMPLOYEES TO ENSURE THEY CAN SAFELY MIX/ADD REACTANTS WHICH ARE CAPABLE OF INITIATING DETONATIONS AND DEFLAGRATIONS. F. SUPPLY AND TRAIN EMPLOYEES IN THE USE OF APPROPRIATE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. G. DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLAN FOR BLDG 266.