OSHA Inspection: BASF CORP

Issued

May 15, 2002

Abate by

Jul 17, 2002

Penalty

Initial $5,400 · Current $5,400

Hazardous substances 8880

General-duty citation text

T.C.A. 50-3-105(1):  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 three employees were exposed to hot (210o F) water
splashing over them from the top of a 1,3-Butadiene (BD) storage
tank during a tank decontamination process on 12/5/01.  The 18,837
gallon east BD storage tank (D-2104), which was located in the (2)
BD storage tank diked area near the railroad delivery tracks, had
been emptied of BD and filled with water.  The water was heated to
210o F, and was initially planned to be held in the tank for 24
hours to clean the tank of potential butadiene peroxides and
resultant "popcorn polymers."  At approximately 2:45 PM an
automatic water drain valve below the tank on a pipeline leading
from the tank was opened to purge possible butadiene (BD) from it
(since the tank was to be entered for inspection the next day).
There was approximately one pound of butadiene liquid (about 2.7
cups liquid volume, with butadiene having a boiling point of about
24o F) in the line and/or valve that, when released upon opening of
the valve, rapidly vaporized into about 43 gallons of BD vapor (at
the bottom of the tank) which rose through the water and expanded
to about 58 gallons of BD vapor when it reached the open manhole at
the top of the tank.  The BD vapor displaced the 210o F water in
the tank, causing it to spill out the 18" diameter manhole on the
top of the tank and onto the three employees located below the
tank.  The employee exposure to the scalding water resulted in one
fatality and two serious burn injuries.  These employees included
a Shift Supervisor, a Shipping and Receiving Supervisor, and a
Frucon Construction Corp contractor Maintenance Worker under the
control of BASF Corp.
Among other methods, examples of feasible and acceptable abatement
methods to correct this hazard were:
a.Engineering controls such as isolating the area from employees
so that no one was allowed under or around BD storage tank
(inside diked area) when the tank water was heated, with
remote (or protected) means planned and applied to initiate
emptying the hot water;
b.Safe work procedures (step-by-step, specific and clear
operating procedures) that required that the automatic water
drain line valve only be opened, to release BD potentially
present, at one of several other safe times, such as:
i.During cold water filling;
ii.After cold water filling, but before heating the water;
iii.After the hot water was drained; or
iv.After cooling the tank with cold water.
In this case the operating procedures for the tank (vessel)
decontamination operation ("Monomer Storage Butadiene Vessel
Decontamination," Document # UCM-W0105) did not address
opening the automatic water drain line; andc.Training and other forms of
communication (such as posting) on
hazards of scalding hot water.
ABATEMENT VERIFICATION REQUIRED.

Issued

May 15, 2002

Abate by

Jul 17, 2002

Penalty

Initial $5,400 · Current $5,400

Hazardous substances 8880

Issued

May 15, 2002

Abate by

Jul 17, 2002

Hazardous substances 8880

Issued

May 15, 2002

Abate by

Jul 17, 2002

Penalty

Initial $5,400 · Current $5,400

Hazardous substances 8880

Issued

May 15, 2002

Abate by

Jul 17, 2002

Penalty

Initial $5,400 · Current $5,400

Hazardous substances 8880