OSHA Inspection: FORMAN PETROLEUM CORPORATION

Issued

Sep 14, 1992

Abate by

Oct 19, 1992

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $1,500

General-duty citation text

The employer is not limited to abatement methods suggested by OSHA,
i.e., methods explained are general and may not be effective in all
cases.  Other methods of abatement may be equally or more appropriate.
Ultimate responsibility for determining the most appropriate abatement
methods rests with the employer, given its superior knowledge of the
specific conditions on its worksite.
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 were exposed to serious hazards, including fire
or being struck by debris as a result of catastrophic failure
of several pressure vessels owned and operated by Forman
Petroleum Corporation due to the lack of a Pressure Vessel
Inspection Program as outlined in Section 6 of the API 510
Pressure Vessel Inspection Code.  On or about October, 1990,
Forman Petroleum Corporation began buying from Mullins &
Pritchard, Inc., certain oil and gas interests in the Manila
Village Oilfield ot include surface facilities.  Forman Petroleum
Corporation had not developed a pressure vessel inspection
program to include the pressure vessels purchased from Mullins
& Pritchard, Inc. at Manila Village Oilfield.  On April 13, 1992,
a gas/liquid separator violently ruptured at the Forman Petroleum
Commingling Facility #3, Manila Village Oilfield, killing two
contractor employees.
A feasible and useful method of correcting these hazards related
to a catastrophic pressure vessel rupture and failure is to
establish and properly implement an effective program for
inspection, maintenance, rating, repair, alteration and/or
replacement of natural resource pressure vessels and their
associated safety devices.  Such a program must include the
following as a minimum:
1)  All pressure vessels without records must be inspected
certified by an authorized inspector who is qualified
and certified to perform inspections under API 510.
2)  Develop a written  pressure vessel inspection program
to cover all pressure vessels owned by the company.
3)  Records shall be maintained by the owner or user of
pressure vessels.  These records shall contain
pertinent data reports, vessel identification, relief
equipment test information and documents recording
the results of inspection and repairs.
4)  Comply with all applicable provisions of the API 510
Pressure Vessel Inspection Code.