Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 026 Hazard:

29 CFR 1910.119(j)(6): Quality assurance. 29 CFR 1910.119(j)(6)(iii):The employer did not assure that maintenance materials, spare parts and equipment are suitable for the process application for which they will be used. a. On or about and prior to April 8, 2021, the employer failed to assure that maintenance materials and spare parts used for the kettle 3 reactor vessel manway cover gasket were suitable for the process application. The materials of construction used for the gasket fabrication were not documented in process safety information or a quality assurance program to assure that materials used for the gasket were appropriate for the service conditions. The manway leaked during startup following the Christmas 2020 shutdown when the manway opening was altered. The employer fabricated a replacement gasket from gasket materials they had in-stock (i.e. spare parts). This replacement gasket failed. A second gasket was fabricated and installed from spare gasket materials and the kettle 3 reactor vessel was placed back in service on January 4, 2021. On April 8, 2021, the manway for the kettle 3 reactor vessel, which included the manway flange/cover gasket, failed and the kettle released a vapor cloud of solvent that resulted in an explosion in the Resin Plant. The explosion resulted in multiple disabling injuries and an occupational fatality.