Violation Detail
Standard Cited: 5A0001 OSH Act General Duty Paragraph
Inspection Nr: 314110404
Citation: 01001
Citation Type: Serious
Abatement Date: 04/19/2011 X
Initial Penalty: $7,000.00
Current Penalty: $7,000.00
Issuance Date: 04/15/2011
Nr Instances: 1
Nr Exposed: 2
Related Event Code (REC): A
Gravity: 10
Report ID: 0317500
Contest Date:
Final Order:
Emphasis:
Text For Citation: 01 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 employees were exposed to blunt force trauma, fire and explosion hazards. (a) West Penn Energy yard area vehicle # 512 Mack truck rear manway: On or about 12/09/10, an employee and supervisor were exposed to fire and explosion hazards while utilizing a "rosebud" torch and propane gas to thaw a frozen valve at the manway door. The torch ignited hydrocarbons including xylene, toluene, siloxane and benzophenone inside the piping and tank of the truck. The resultant explosion blew the manway door and valve from the tank and the metal door struck a worker. Among other methods one feasible and acceptable means to abate this hazard is to ensure that hot work shall not be permitted in nonpermissbile areas in the presence of explosive atmospheres (i.e.., where mixtures of flammable gases, vapors liquids, or dusts with air exist) in accordance with NFPA 51B, "Standard for Fire Prevention During Welding, Cutting, and Other Hot Work," dated 2009 section 5.3(3).
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