Text For Citation: 02 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: a) Employees in and around the resin building (buildings 28 and 28A) including Kettle Cook #1 were exposed on and before July 19, 1990, to the increased hazards of fires and explosions due to the release of flammable materials (including PX solvent vapors) from the kettles in that: The employer did not take adequate measures to prevent a hazardous release of flammable materials in that: A) The rupture of the disc discharge line for #6 kettle terminated above the roof of the resin building and discharged into the atmosphere in the direction of other buildings within the facility. B) Controls for the kettles were manually operated, all were not equipped with alarm devices for abnormal conditions such as excessive temperature or pressure, and none were equipped with high temperature or pressure shut down devices. C) Operating practices were inadequate in that kettles were not required to be continuously attended by operators while in use. D) Operating procedures were inadequate in that written instruction for kettle cleaning operations using solvents such as "PX solvent" were not developed and implemented. Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct this hazard are: 1) Provide discharge piping to a safe location such as but not limited to a blow out tank or header pipe/flare system in accordance with NFPA 35-1987 Standard for the manufacture of Organic Coatings. 2) Provide control systems which will automatically adjust the operating condition of the kettles, provide audible or visual warning of conditions of overpressure or temperature, and provide a high temperature interlock in accordance with NFPA 35-1987. 3) Establish standard operating procedures which will require the attendance of a trained qualified operator during kettle operations. 4) Establish written procedures for kettle cleaning operations which use flammable solvents including kettle set up procedures and operating procedures which include a defined sequence of steps emphasizing those to be critical for process.