OSHA Inspection: R. KNEPPER CONSTRUCTION, INC.

Issued

Jan 18, 1995

Abate by

Feb 27, 1995

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $450 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:
The employer had assigned their employees to work in an area where there
was a
known potential for an explosion and/or fire but did not develop and
implement a written
safe work practices and procedures to cover the project.  Safe work
practices and procedures
include hazards and controls for dust, water, source(s) of ignition,
monitoring, line breaking,
hot work permit(s), and engineering controls.  Monitoring procedures and
practices should
include monitoring for the potential loss of the nitrogen blanket or the
presence of oxygen at
or near the point of entry.  The employees were involved in the turnaround
and repair of the
P2S5 Processing Unit and had opened an elevator on the unit.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT
METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS to take the following multi-stepped
corrective
action.
1.  Complete a hazard analysis of the project to be completed to determine
potential hazards such as those created during line breaking, equipment
repair,
and hopper entry.
2.  Review owners and other contractors work practices for the area to
determine if they have recognized other hazards which need to be addressed
or
if they have work practices which could cause potential problems during
your
operation.
3.  Develop a written safe work practices and procedures to cover the
project
operations and work practices.
4.  Train employees who will be working on the project on the safe work
practices and procedures including, but not limited to, recognition of
ignition
sources, monitoring procedures, line breaking procedures, chemical hazards,
hot work permit(s) and special engineering controls to be used.
5.  Obtain and use equipment as necessary to implement the program such as
monitors for oxygen and nitrogen levels in the process lines and other
safety
equipment and PPE as deemed necessary.  This might include such equipment
as monitors for the presence of nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide, and oxygen at
various strategic points inside of the process with audible and/or visible
alarms
which would allow time for a response by the workers.
6.  Insure compliance with the program and the programs effectiveness
through followup inspections of the work procedures.
DISCLAIMER:
1.  You are not limited to the abatement methods suggested above.
2.  The methods explained are general and may not be effective in all
cases.
3.  The employer is responsible for selecting and carrying out an
appropriate abatement
method.

Issued

Jan 18, 1995

Abate by

Feb 27, 1995

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $450 Reduced

Issued

Jan 18, 1995

Abate by

Jan 23, 1995

Penalty

Initial $750

Issued

Jan 18, 1995

Abate by

Jan 30, 1995

Penalty

Initial $750

Issued

Jan 18, 1995

Abate by

Jan 30, 1995

Issued

Jan 18, 1995

Abate by

Jan 30, 1995

Issued

Jan 18, 1995

Abate by

Jan 30, 1995

Issued

Jan 18, 1995

Abate by

Feb 27, 1995

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $450 Reduced

Issued

Jan 18, 1995

Abate by

Feb 27, 1995