OSHA Inspection: SPECTRULITE CONSORTIUM, INC.

Issued

Dec 23, 1988

Abate by

Jan 11, 1989

Penalty

Initial $420 · Current $420

General-duty citation text

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:
...the hazard of molten metal explosion.  On October 22, 1988 in the
magnesium melt room, the employer did not insure that only dry, warm
and clean equipment was available for use when working with molten
metal. A sludger unit returned from the repair shop was permitted in
the magnesium melt shop without preparation to insure that it was
dry, warm and clean prior to its utilization in a molten metal bath.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this hazard is to establish a formal procedure to govern the
control and utilization of tools and equipment used in the magnesium
melt shop with molten metal which should include but not be limited to
the following items:
a) Method(s) employees must follow to insure that equipment is dry,
warm and clean prior to use with molten metal.
b) A procedure to control the transfer of equipment from and back into
the magnesium department which has been sent out for repair to insure
that only equipment available for use in dry, warm and clean.
c) Expand the magnesium shop employee's training to cover the procedures
developed by the company to insure only dry, warm and clean equipment
is used when working with molten metal.
d) Designate a person responsible for implementation of this program,
the training required and the accountability of such.