Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 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 being struck by flying objects: On or about September 18, 2008, and at times prior thereto, at the establishment located at 1087 Highway 165 East, Dumas, Arkansas, in the storage and shop areas, and the pad on the outside of the building, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe and plastic pipe fittings were being used to transport compressed air at approximately 138 - 150 psi, exposing employees to being struck by plastic projectiles (pipe fragments/shards). Among other methods, feasible and acceptable means to correct the hazard include: (1) encasing the PVC and PVC pipe fittings in shatter resistant materials, e.g. metal pipes, wooden boxed conduit lined with fiberglass, steel box conduits, (2) remove the PVC pipes and PVC pipe fittings and install metal pipe and fittings (3) remove the PVC pipe and PVC fittings, and install plastic pipes and pipe fittings (ABS), as specified in ANSI/ASME B31.8-1986, Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping Systems Standard and ASTM D1785-86, Standard Specification for Polyvinyl Chloride Plastic Pipe, Schedules 40, 80 and 120 and ASTM D2513- 86a, Standard Specification for Thermoplastic Gas Pressure Piping Systems.