OSHA Inspection: WESTWOOD CHEMICAL CORP.

Issued

Feb 27, 1991

Abate by

Apr 1, 1991

Penalty

Initial $640 · Current $640

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:
a) 9/1/90, the hazard of severe burns, concussion, multiple traumatic
injuries and/or death from fire/explosion due to ignition of hydrogen
as generated during the production of aluminum chlorohydrate. The
company did not use an inerting gas nor monitor for the presence of
oxygen when muriatic acid was added to the reactor vessel or
throughout the reaction. Further the reactor vessel was not guarded.
Among other methods, one feasible and accepted abatement method to
correct this hazard is to comply with National Fire Protection
Association Standard on Explosion Prevention Systems, NFPA 69, 1986
edition, Chapter 2 and install:
a) An inert gas system capable of reducing the concentration of oxygen
in the reactor vessel below the minimum necessary for ignition of the
hydrogen gas.
b) Instrumentation to ensure that the disired oxident concentration is
achieved in the reactor vessel.
c) An alarm that would indicate abnormal operating conditions of the
system such as loss of inert gas, or entry of oxygen into the reactor

Issued

Feb 27, 1991

Abate by

Apr 1, 1991

Penalty

Initial $490 · Current $490