OSHA Inspection: GRAPHITE DIE MOLD

Issued

Jul 14, 2005

Abate by

Mar 31, 2006

Penalty

Initial $1,250 · Current $1,250

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 severe burns and flying parts:
High Temperature Furnace Area:
The high temperature furnaces (No. 30, 36, 45, 46, 56 & No 58) had
deficencies such as but not limited to
the following items as referenced in NFPA 86 (2003 Edition) during normal
and abnormal events exposing
employees to severe burns and flying parts/objects from oven explosions:
1. The exposed copper electrodes were protruding into the high temperature
zones of the ovens.
2. Inadequate pressure relief systems on each furnace.
3. Lack of dedicated heat exchanger.
4. Inadequate oven door latches and oven components.
5. Lack of temperature and pressure monitoring.
6. The use of rubber hoses on the ovens.
7. Lack of remote oven monitoring in the event of an abnormal event.
8. Lack of pressure relief valves on the cooling jacket loops.
9. Lack of automatic electrical power shut offs and automatic nitrogen
injections into the ovens during
unstable and abnormal events.
10. Lack of a fire suppression system and an emergency cooling system.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement methods to
correct the hazard is as follow:
1. The electrode dimensions should be so designed that they do not
protrude into the high temperature zone of
the oven and the electrodes be fabricated with stainless steel alloy which
has a higher melting temperature to
improve system reliability.
2. Increase the diameter of the pressure relief lines and run them
independently through the roof to shorten the
pipe length so that the steam developed during abnormal conditions could
be discharged rapidly.
3. Each oven should have a dedicated heat exchanger relative to the
connection with the evaporative cooling
loop to provide the cooling system.
4. Each oven door should be designed for normal and abnormal conditions
including the door hinges, gaskets,
and support hardware to withstand vacuum, pressure and temperature
conditions.
5. Install temperature and pressure monitoring systems on all the ovens.
6. Replace the rubber hoses on the ovens with stainless steel woven hosing
to withstand high temperatures and
pressures.
7. Install a remote monitoring system to monitor temperature and pressure
for all the ovens in the event of an
abnormal event.
8. Install pressure relief valves on the cooling jacket loops.
9. All the power circuits should be shut off and the oven chambers be
automatically injected with nitrogen gas
during unstable and abnormal events.
10. Install fire suppression systems supplied by a fire protection water
storage tank to sprinkle production
areas and provide water spray to the exterior surfaces of the ovens along
with supply water to the cooling
jackets in the event of coolant pump failure.