OSHA Inspection: FINA OIL AND CHEMICAL CO., INC.

Issued

Apr 6, 1992

Abate by

May 20, 1992

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $4,000

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
serious burns, concussions, multiple traumatic injuries and/or from
fire and explosions due to overpressuration of pressure vessile caused
by runaway reaction during the manufacture of Heavy and light
distillate, Naphtha, Benzene, Toluene, diesel, Kerosine, Propane and
others, at the Fina Refinery in Big Spring, Texas, resulting from
inexperienced operators unable to respond to unexpected deviation of
chemical process:
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement
method to correct this hazard is to establish an administrative
and engineering controls over work being performed that will
include, but not limited to, the following provisions:
A.  Employer shall certify that each operator receive and
successfully complete training as follows:
1.  Initial training on Petro Refinery Principals.
2.  Initial start up.
3.  Normal operation to include reading Pnid.
4.  Temporary operation as need arises.
5.  Emergency operation, including emergency shut down.
6.  Normal shut down.
7.  Start up following a turnaround or after an emergency
shut down.
8.  Understand the operating limits of the unit and the
consequences of deviation.
9.  Steps required to correct and/or avoid deviation.
10.  Understand safety systems and their function.