Violation Detail
Standard Cited: 5A0001 OSH Act General Duty Paragraph
Inspection Nr: 17786344
Citation: 02001
Citation Type: Willful
Abatement Date: 05/14/1991 X
Initial Penalty: $10,000.00
Current Penalty: $10,000.00
Issuance Date: 04/02/1991
Nr Instances: 2
Nr Exposed: 10
Related Event Code (REC): A
Gravity: 10
Report ID: 0213900
Contest Date: 04/25/1991
Final Order: 08/19/1991
Emphasis:
| Type | Latest Event | Event Date | Penalty | Abatement Due Date | Citation Type | Failure to Abate Inspection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penalty | F: Formal Settlement | 08/19/1991 | $10,000.00 | 05/14/1991 | Willful | |
| Penalty | Z: Issued | 04/02/1991 | $10,000.00 | 05/14/1991 | Willful |
Text For Citation: 02 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: CONFINED
SECTION 5(A)(1) OF THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HELTH ACT OF 1970: THE EMPLOYER DID NOT FURNISH EMPLOYMENT AND A PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT WHICH WERE FREE FROM RECGONIZED HAZARDS THAT WRE CAUSING OR LIKELY TO CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS PHYSICAL HARM TO EMPLOYEES IN THAT EMPLOYEES WERE EXPOSED TO THE HAZARD OF OXYGEN DEFICIENT ATMOSPHERES WHILE PERFORMING VESSEL FABRICATION TASKS, INCLUDING WELDING, ON A VARIETY OF BASE METALS WHILE EMPLOYING CHEMICALS SUCH AS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ARGON GAS. A) SPECIFICALLY ON OR ABOUT 10/17/90, IN THE TITANIUS ROOM AN EMPLOYEE ENTERED VESSEL 8263-2A WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY 16' IN HEIGHT AND 13' IN DIAMETER, POSITIONED VERTICALLY, THE INTERIOR OF WHICH HAD BEEN PURGED WITH ARGON GAS EMPLOYED AS A SHIELD ON THE INTERIOR DURING EXTERIOR WELDING, AND WHICH CREATED AND OXYGEN DEFICIENT ATMOSPHERE. THE EMPLOYEE WAS FOUND IN THE VESSEL AT ABOUT 11:55 PM. OXYGEN READINGS TAKEN ABOUT TWELVE HOURS AFTER THE MISHAP WERE APPROXIMATELY 7% AT THE BOTTOM, INTERIOR OF THE VESSEL. B) ADDITIONALLY, ON OR ABOUT 10/17/90 IN THE TITANIUS ROOM, THE EMPLOYEE WHO ATTEMPTED RESCUE OF THE EMPLOYEE REFERENCED IN INSTANCE (A) ABOVE ENTERED AN ATMOSPHERE IMMEDIATELY DANGEROUS TO LIFE.THIS EMPLOYEE WAS FOUND UNCONSCIOUS AT AROUND MIDNIGHT. OXYGEN READINGS TAKEN ABOUT TWELVE HOURS AFTER THE MISHAP WERE APPROXIMATELY 7% AT THE BOTTOM, INTERIOR OF THE VESSEL. ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE METHOD, AMONG OTHERS, TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS TO INSTITUTE A FORMAL CONFINED SPACE ENTRY PROGRAM SUCH AS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROGRESS OUTLINED IN ANSI Z117.1-1989; ASTM D4276-84; PROPOSED STANDARD 29 CFR 1910.146, FEDERAL REGISTER DATED 6/5/89, AND NIOSH PUBLICATION 80-106.
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