Text For Citation: 02 Item/Group: 002 Hazard: STRUCK BY

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 hazard of explosion and of being burned by or struck by molten materials and super heated water: (a) At the ASARCO Hayden Smelter, the refractory brick in the ESCV furnace was not maintained in accordance with the recommendations of the ESCV manufacturer nor in accordance with good and accepted masonry practices. The ESCV furnace was not maintained in accordance with the recommendations of the ESCV manufacturer in that hydrated and only partially replaced refractory brick was used beyond recommended and agreed to time limits. The ESCV furnace was not maintained in accordance with good and accepted masonry practices in that the condition of several layers of brick under the solidified bath was not determined prior to laying additional layers of brick, and bricks were not placed on properly prepared surfaces in that they were placed directly on the solidified bath and directly on scrap slag pieces needed to prepare a level surface. Failure of the refractory brick would allow the molten bath to come in contact ESCV's steel walls which can lead to steel wall failure. Failure of the steel walls would permit cooling jacket water to contact the molten matte, leading to explosion. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to maintain, repair and replace the furnace refractory brick in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations in accordance with good and accepted masonry practices.