OSHA Inspection: B. P. OIL CO.

Issued

Dec 3, 1990

Abate by

Dec 6, 1990

Penalty

Initial $300

Issued

Dec 3, 1990

Abate by

Jan 7, 1991

Penalty

Initial $10,000 · Current $7,000 Reduced

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:
EMPLOYEES WERE EXPOSED TO DISMEMBERMENT AND/OR DEATH FROM THE
HIGH PRESSURE WATER (2500 P.S.I.) CUTTING AND BORING NOZZLES
OF THE COKE CUTTING STEM DUE TO THE INTERNATIONAL BY-PASSING OF
UPPER AND LOWER LIMIT SWITCHES WHICH WOULD ALLOW THE COKE
CUTTING STEM TO BE RAISED OR LOWERED OUT OF THE COKE DRUM.
CONTRIBUTING ALSO TO THE HAZARD WAS THE STICKING OF THE UP AND
DOWN HAND-OPERATED AIR VALVE ON THE NORTH COKE CUTTING STEM.
AMONG OTHER METHODS ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO
CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS TO ESTABLISH ADMINISTRATIVE AND ENGINEERING
CONTROLS THAT WILL INCLUDE BUT NOT NECESSARILY BE LIMITED TO THE
FOLLOWING:
1) REPAIR, USE AND MAINTAIN IN CONTINUING OPERATING CONDITION
THE UPPER AND LOWER LIMIT SWITCHES AND THE HAND-OPERATED AIR
VALVE THAT CONTROL THE SAFE OPERATING CONDITION WHILE CUTTING
COKE INSIDE THE NOTHE AND SOUTH COKE DRUMS.
2) DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT OPERATOR AND SUPERVISOR TRAINING PROGRAM
AND PROCEDURES FOR COKE CUTTING OPERATIONS.
3) THE LIMIT SWITCHES FOR THE CUTTING STEMS ARE TO BE TESTED PRIOR
TO THE START OF EVERY SHIFT.