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Violation Detail
Standard Cited: 5A0001 OSH Act General Duty Paragraph
Inspection Nr: 100028638
Citation: 15001
Citation Type: Serious
Abatement Status: X
Initial Penalty: $900.00
Current Penalty: $900.00
Issuance Date: 01/03/1989
Nr Instances: 1
Nr Exposed: 184
Abatement Date: 08/31/1989
Gravity: 09
Report ID: 0830100
Contest Date: 01/20/1989
Final Order: 09/05/1989
Related Event Code (REC): R
Emphasis:
| Type | Latest Event | Event Date | Penalty | Abatement Due Date | Citation Type | Failure to Abate Inspection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penalty | F: Formal Settlement | 09/05/1989 | $900.00 | 08/31/1989 | Serious | |
| Penalty | Z: Issued | 01/03/1989 | $900.00 | 02/17/1989 | Serious |
Text For Citation: 15 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: EXPLOSION
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: On or about July 14, 1988, at the Conoco Refinery in Billings, Montana, employees were exposed to the hazard of fire and explosion when flammable hydrocarbons were released in the vicinity of the main fractionator tower during shut-down of the fractionation section of the condensate unit. Feasible and acceptable abatement methods, among others, to correct this hazard are to: a) Prohibit opening of drain valves into open ended piping without assurance that dangerous quantities of residual flammable materials are not present in the vessel being drained. b) Provide for the removal of residual flammable liquid to a safe location. c) Design equipment so that failure of any part of the unit, control mechanism, or protective device or any lapse by operators will not result in serious consequences. Procedures and design changes to accomplish the above include: -- Surveillance of work area conditions to detect the release of dangerous amounts of flammable hydrocarbons and development and use of appropriate response procedures to high gas alarms or other indications of dangerous hydrocarbon release. -- Clearance of drain lines on the main fractionator tower of any plugging or obstruction before use. -- Construction of an enclosed piping system from the 3 inch drain on the bottom of the main fractiionator tower sufficient to safely confined and remove residual flammable liquid to a storage tank or other safe location. -- Provide the drainage system on the main fractionator tower with emergency shut-offs to stop the flow of flammable liquid in the event of accidental escape of liquid or fire. These devices should be arranged for automatic operation in the event of fire or manual or automatic operation in the event of accidental escape of liquid.