OSHA Inspection: ELCO MAINTENANCE CO.

Issued

Nov 13, 1995

Abate by

Nov 16, 1995

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $2,100

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 hazard of fire & explosion:
(a)Worksite;  Employee(s) with the job title of Tank Installers were
cutting into a
4000 gallon gasoline tank with an electric Sawz-All metal cutting blade.
Dry
ice had been deposited into the tank in an attempt to inert the atmosphere,
however no oxygen readings were taken prior to cutting in order to
determine
if the tank was below 5oxygen by volume, the required safe percent of
oxygen to vapor ratio that would not support combustion;  on or about
06/19/95.
ABATEMENT NOTES:
Among other methods, one feasible method to reduce this hazard is to
1.(a)Use nitrogen gas or carbon dioxide to safely inert the vapors.
(b)Train employees in the proper method of taking oxygen level readings to
see if
tanks of flammable liquids are properly inerted prior to cutting.
(c)Always have an oxygen indicator available to ensure the tank is at or
below
the level to support combustion.
(d)Removal,closure or cutting a tank may only begin when the atmosphere
inside
the tank reads below 5by volume on an oxygen meter.
Alternative methods would be:
2.(a)Use a non sparking tool such as a hydraulic nibbler,to cut open the
tank.
OR
3.(a)Use appropriate amounts of water to safely purge flammable vapors.
(b)Train employees in the proper method of taking lower explosive level
readings
to see if tanks of flammable liquids are properly purged prior to cutting.
(c)Always have an explosive indicator available to ensure the tank
is at or below the lower explosive limit.
(d)Removal, closure or cutting a tank may only begin when the
atmosphere inside the tank reads below 10of the lower
flammable limit. A search of OSHA standards has been conducted and there
are no applicable standards.

Issued

Nov 13, 1995

Abate by

Jan 2, 1996

Penalty

Initial $600 · Current $600

Issued

Nov 13, 1995

Abate by

Jan 2, 1996

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $750

Issued

Nov 13, 1995

Abate by

Nov 16, 1995

Penalty

Initial $1,050 · Current $1,050

Issued

Nov 13, 1995

Abate by

Nov 16, 1995

Penalty

Initial $450 · Current $450