OSHA Inspection: GENERAL OIL COMPANY

Issued

Dec 18, 1992

Abate by

Mar 17, 1993

Penalty

Initial $750

Issued

Dec 18, 1992

Abate by

Mar 17, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,750

Issued

Dec 18, 1992

Abate by

Mar 17, 1993

Penalty

Initial $750

Issued

Dec 18, 1992

Abate by

Mar 17, 1993

Penalty

Initial $750

Issued

Dec 18, 1992

Abate by

Dec 23, 1992

Issued

Dec 17, 1992

Abate by

Mar 16, 1993

Penalty

Initial $2,500

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 hazards of asphyxiation and chemical intoxication by
a confined space without following confined space entry procedures:
TANK #4:  THE EMPLOYER DID NOT DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVE
CONFINED SPACE ENTRY PROCEDURES TO PROTECT EMPLOYEES WHO ENTERED A
500,000 GALLON #2 HEATING OIL TANK TO COMPLETE PRODUCT TRANSFER
OPERATIONS.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE METHOD TO CORRECT
THESE HAZARDS IS TO DEVELOP STANDARD PROCEDURES FOR SAFE ENTRY INTO
CONFINED SPACES SUCH AS PERMITS.  THESE SHOULD INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE
LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS:
A.  SURVEY AND IDENTIFICATION OF AREAS THAT MAY QUALIFY AS CONFINED
SPACES.
B.  ALL ENTRANCES TO CONFINED SPACES SHALL BE POSTED.  SIGNS SHALL
INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
DANGER
CONFINED SPACE
ENTRY BY PERMIT ONLY
C.  EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, INCLUDING EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS, SHALL
BE POSTED CONSPICUOUSLY IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA OF THE CONFINED SPACE(S)
AND AT THE TELEPHONE(S) FROM WHICH EMERGENCY HELP WOULD BE SUMMONED.
D.  ENTRY INTO CONFINED SPACES SHALL BE BY PERMIT ONLY:
1.  PERMIT SHALL CARRY THE DATE AND DURATION OF ENTRY
2.  PERMIT SHALL BE SPECIFIC AS TO LOCATION (I.E., SPECIFIC
MACHINE) AND TYPE OF WORK TO BE ACCOMPLISHED
3.  PERMIT SHALL ALSO INCLUDE:
1.  MEASURES TO BE TAKEN TO CONTROL POTENTIAL HAZARDS
II. MEASURES, INCLUDING A CHECKLIST, TO ISOLATE ALL TYPES
OF POTENTIAL ENERGY (I.E., LOCKOUT/TAGOUT)
III. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT REQUIRED
IV.  PROCEDURES FOR ATMOSPHERIC TESTING (I.E., OXYGEN
DEFICIENCY)
V.  CRITERIA FOR ACCEPTABLE ENVIORNMENT FOR SAFE ENTRY
VI.  PERSONNEL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
VII. DESIGNATION OF TRAINED AND AUTHORIZED ENTRANTS AND
STANDBY PERSONNEL
VIII. COMMUNICATION PROCEDURES AND METHODS
IX. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
A.  EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS
B.  COORDINATION WITH LOCAL RESCUE AUTHORITIES
C.  LOCATION OF "IN HOUSE" RESCUE EQUIPMENT AND FIRST
AID SUPPLIES
E.  TRAINED ENTRANTS SHALL BE EQUIPPED WITH SAFETY HARNESSES, SAFETY
LINES AND/OR OTHER EQUIVALENT RETRIEVAL GEAR TO FACILITATE RESCUE.
1.  A TRAINED STANDBY PERSON, WITH APPROPRIATE RESCUE GEAR, SHALL
BE PROVIDED.
2.  CONSTANT COMMUNICATIONS MUST BE MAINTAINED BETWEEN ENTRANT AND
STANDBY PERSON AND RESCUE PERSONNEL.
3.  ENTRY INTO A CONFINED SPACE SHALL BE PROHIBITED UNTIL INITIAL
TESTING OF ATMOSPHERE HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED FROM THE OUTSIDE
AS FOLLOWS:
A.  OXYGEN
B.  FLAMMABLE GAS (I.E., PERCENT OF LEL) (WHERE APPLICABLE)
C.  TOXIC LEVELS (WHERE APPLICABLE)
F.  EMPLOYEES SHALL REVIEW AND BE TRAINED IN THE GUIDELINES FOR SAFE
ENTRY AND EXIT FROM CONFINED SPACE(S).  ITEMS INCLUDING, BUT NOT
LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING, SHALL BE ADDRESSED IN THE GUIDELINES:
1.  ATMOSPHERIC TESTING
2.  PURGING AND VENTILATION
3.  ISOLATION/LOCKOUT/TAGOUT OF POTENTIAL ENERGY
4.  PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
5.  EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE WORK

Issued

Dec 17, 1992

Abate by

Mar 16, 1993

Issued

Dec 17, 1992

Abate by

Mar 16, 1993

Penalty

Initial $750

Issued

Dec 17, 1992

Abate by

Mar 16, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,750

Issued

Dec 17, 1992

Abate by

Mar 16, 1993