OSHA Inspection: KENDALL/AMALIE DIVISION OF WITCO CORPORATION

Issued

Jan 3, 1992

Abate by

Aug 30, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,875 · Current $1,700 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 fire/explosion hazards from a catastrophic release of
hydrogen, naptha and/or other flammable vapor/gases from nearby
process areas:
(a) Platformer unit; the employer did not perform
a hazard analysis for identifying, evaluating and
controlling hazards involved with the process; and
current written standard operating procedures that
provide clear instructions for safely conducting
activities at the unit were not developed and/or
implemented.
Among other methods, feasible and accepteble abatement methods to
correct this hazard include, but are not limited to, the following:
1.  Chemical Process Hazard Review:
a) Conduct a chemical process system safety hazard review
that will identify process deficiencies and upsets plus
estimate their frequency and probable consequences.
Operating parameters, procedures, and/or control
instrumentation determined by this review to be critical
for safe processing at the Platformer Unit shall be designed
and constructed for either redundancy or back-up to assure
maximum feasible safety to employees.
b) This review shall be performed by a team with expertise
in engineering and process operations, including at least
one employee who has experience and knowledge specific to
the process being evaluated.
c) The employer shall establish a system to promptly address
the teams findings and recommendations; document action
taken, communicate them to operators, maintenance and other
employees whose work assignments are in this area and assure
recommendations are implemented in a timely manner.
d) The process hazard analysis shall be performed every
five years to update and revalidate with the current
process.
e)  The employer shall retain the two most recent analyses
and/or updates as well as documented actions.
2.  Standard Operating Procedures:
a) The employer shall develop and implement written
operating procedures that provide clear instructions for
safely conducting activities involved with this process,
consistent with process safety information and shall address
steps for each operating phase, operating limits, and
safety/health considerations.
b) A copy of the operating procedures shall be readily
accessible to employees who work in or maintain a process.
c) The operating procedures shall be reviewed as often as
necessary to assure that they reflect current operating
practice, including changes that result from changes in
process chemicals, technology and equipment; and changes
to the facility

Issued

Jan 3, 1992

Abate by

Aug 31, 1992

Penalty

Initial $1,875 · Current $1,700 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 fire and explosion hazards due to the ignition of flammable
vapor/gases from unclassified electrical installations::
(a) Platformer Unit Control Room; control room ventilation
air intake system did not prevent the entrance of flammable
vapor/gases, such as, but not limited to, naptha and
hydrogen.  The fresh air intake duct was located
approximately 29'9" above grade.

Issued

Jan 3, 1992

Abate by

Feb 6, 1992

Penalty

Initial $1,125 · Current $1,000 Reduced

Issued

Jan 3, 1992

Abate by

Feb 6, 1992

Penalty

Initial $1,125

Issued

Jan 3, 1992

Abate by

Feb 6, 1992

Penalty

Initial $1,125 · Current $1,000 Reduced

Issued

Jan 3, 1992

Abate by

Feb 6, 1992

Issued

Jan 3, 1992

Abate by

Feb 6, 1992