Text For Citation: 02 Item/Group: 002C Hazard:

29 CFR 1910.119(j)(4)(ii): Inspection and testing procedures did not follow recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices (RAGAGEP): a) Delaware City Refinery, 4550 Wrangle Hill Road, Delaware City, DE, 19706 - Desulfurization Unit, Train 4, Heater 29-H-4 at the Hip Tubes within the SW Radiant Section: On or about March 11, 2020, the employers inspection and testing procedures failed to follow the employer's chosen RAGAGEP, which was API 573 Section 9.2, in that the employer did not conduct visual internal inspections on entire heater tube coil and their supports to examine for conditions of overheating such as bulging, blistering, cracking, sagging, bowing, fouling of extended surfaces, or deposits of any contaminants, and cracks in return bend welds. Heater tubes located in the upper section of the heater were not visually inspected, a tube in this section was overheated, weakened, and eventually ruptured. This violation contributed to a significant fire inflicting serious burn injuries on two operators and continues to create a fire/explosion hazard. b) Delaware City Refinery, 4550 Wrangle Hill Road, Delaware City, DE, 19706 - Desulfurization Unit, Train 4, Heater 29-H-4 at the Hip Tubes within the SW Radiant Section: On or about March 11, 2020, the employers inspection and testing procedures failed to follow the employer's chosen RAGAGEP, which was API 573 Section 9.3, in that the employer did not take wall thickness measurements on all tube passes including the upper section of heater tubes along their lengths and at return bends. The wall thickness of heater tubes in the upper section of the heater was not measured, a tube in this section overheated, weakened and eventually ruptured. This violation contributed to a significant fire inflicting serious burn injuries on two operators and continues to create a fire/explosion hazard.