OSHA Inspection: MATHESON GAS PRODUCTS

Issued

1997-03-25 00:00:00

Abate by

1997-03-31 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4500.00 · Current $4500.00

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:
(a)Prior to the incident which occurred on or about January 17, 1997, the
employer
failed to implement an accurate means of identifying compressed gas
cylinder contents
before decommissioning a cylinder as recommended by the Compressed Gas
Association.
A feasible and useful means of abatement includes, but is not limited to
the following
actions:
1.Determine the origin, age and potential for contamination.  Support this
information
with external characteristics such as cylinder, valve type and labeling.
2.Identification through sampling and analysis of the cylinder contents.
3.Handle each cylinder assuming worst-case scenario (as if the contents
are shock
sensitive, explosive, poisonous, strong oxidizers and/or incompatible
mixture).