Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 003 Hazard: BURNS

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 severe burn injuries because fire protection features were not utilized to prevent the spread of fire and/or explosion between adjacent/adjoining sections of the plant: a.) Particleboard Plant, Milling/Screening & Press Lines - Fire protection features in the form of fire walls and/or explosion resistant walls were not erected to prevent the propagation of fire and/or explosion between the milling/screening area and press lines. ABATEMENT NOTE: Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to comply with the requirements outlined in NFPA 664 ~ Standard for the Prevention of Fires and Explosion in Wood Processing and Woodworking Facilities. NFPA 664 Section 2-1.2.1 - Passive fire protection features shall be utilized to prevent the spread of fire or explosions, or both, between sections of the facility. Interior walls erected to isolate dust explosion hazards shall be designed for sufficient explosion resistance to preclude damage to these walls before the explosion pressure can be safely vented to the outside (NFPA 664 Section 2-2.3*). See NFPA 68, Guide for Venting of Deflagrations, for guidance on the strength of relieving and resisting walls (NFPA 664 Section A-2-2.3).