OSHA Inspection: ROSSI PIZZA, INCORPORATED

Issued

Jan 18, 1991

Abate by

Feb 16, 1991

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

SECTION 5(A)(1) OF THE OCCUAPTIONAL 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 DIZZINESS, DIFFICULT BREATHING, LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS, AND
ASPHYXIATION WHILE WORKING IN AREA(S) ADJACENT TO THE LIQUID NITROGEN
TUNNEL. LEAKS OF NITROGEN FROM THE LIQUID NITROGEN TUNNEL AND
ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT INTO THE WORK AREA DISPLACES OXYGEN WHICH MAY
RESULT IN OXYGEN-DEFICIENT ATMOSPHERE(S).
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO
CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS:
1) MAINTAIN THE NITROGEN TUNNEL AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT SO AS TO AVOID
LEAKS OF NITROGEN INTO THE WORK AREA.
2) PROVIDE SUFFICIENT TEMPERED MAKE-UP AIR AND EXHAUST VENTILATION
SO AS TO MAINTAIN OXYGEN LEVELS IN THE WORK AREA AT OR ABOVE 19.5%.
3) INSTALL OXYGEN METER(S) IN THE WORK AREA TO TEST FOR THE PRESENCE OF
SUFFICIENT OXYGEN (19.5%). THE OXYGEN METER(S) SHALL BE MAINTAINED,
TESTED AND CALIBRATED BY TRAINED INDIVIDUALS. IF OXYGEN LEVELS FALL
BELOW 19.5%, APPROPRIATE ACTION SUCH AS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
EVACUATION OF EMPLOYEES, SHUT-DOWN OF THE LIQUID NITROGEN TUNNEL
AND/OR VENTILATING THE WORKPLACE SHALL BE DONE UNTIL SUFFICIENT
LEVELS OF OXYGEN ARE ACHIEVED IN THE WORKPLACE (19.5%-25%). AT NO
TIME SHALL EMPLOYEE(S) BE ALLOWED TO ENTER AND/OR WORK IN AREA(S)
WHERE THE OXYGEN LEVELS ARE UNKNOWN.