OSHA Inspection: R.E. PHELON

Issued

Mar 30, 1990

Abate by

Aug 7, 1990

Penalty

Initial $480 · Current $380 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:
AN EXPLOSION HAZARD CREATED BY IMPROPER HANDLING OF ALUMINUM DUST
GENERATED IN ALUMINUM FINISHING OPERATIONS.
a) AN EXPLOSION HAZARD IS CREATED DURING THE GRINDING OF ALUMINUM
HACKSAW HANDLES IN THE HACKSAW ASSEMBLY AREA DUE TO THE USE OF
A DUST COLLECTION SYSTEM THAT WAS NOT DESIGNED FOR THE COLLECTION
OF EXPLOSIVE DUSTS. THE PRESENT SYSTEM DOES NOT MEET SPECIFICATIONS
FOR CONSTRUCTION, DUCT CONSTRUCTION, MINIMUM FLOW RATE OF 4000CFM
COLLECTOR LOCATION AND ELECTRICAL CONFORMANCE.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO
CORRECT THIS HAZARD WOULD BE TO INSTALL A DUST COLLECTION SYSTEM IN
ACCORDANCE WITH NFPA 65 STANDARD FOR THE PROCESSING AND FINISHING OF
ALUMIMUM (1987) and NFPA 69, GUIDE FOR EXPLOSION PREVENTION SYSTEMS.
b) AN EXPLOSION HAZARD IS CREATED DURING CLEAN UP IN THE HACKSAW
ASSEMBLY AREA DUE TO THE USE OF A VACUUM WHICH IS NOT APPROVED
FOR THE CLEAN UP OF EXPLOSIVE DUSTS.
ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD
WOULD BE TO PURCHASE AND USE A VACUUM THAT IS DESIGNED FOR THE
COLLECTION OF EXPLOSIVE DUSTS OR USE ACCEPTABLE CLEAN UP PROCEDURES
AS OUTLINED IN NFPA 65 STANDARD FOR THE PROCESSING AND FINISHING OF
ALUMINUM. (1987)

Issued

Mar 30, 1990

Abate by

Apr 9, 1990