OSHA Inspection: SOUTHINGTON METAL FABRICATORS

Issued

1992-07-16 00:00:00

Abate by

1993-03-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $750.00 · Current $530.00 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 the hazard of fire and/or explosion due to the presence
of methane gas in excess of twenty-five percent (25) of its lower
explosive limit (LEL).
SOUTHINGTON METAL FABRICATING, INC., MAIN AND ALUMINUM BUILDINGS:
MEASUREMENTS TAKEN WITH A COMBUSTIBLE GAS INDICATOR ON 6/22/92 AT
FLOOR CRACKS WITHIN THE MAIN (BLUE) AND ALUMINUM (YELLOW) BUILDINGS
RANGED FROM 44-198AND 35-36OF THE LEL, RESPECTIVELY.
FEASIBLE AND USEFUL METHODS TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD, AMONG OTHER
METHODS, INCLUDE:
1.  AN ONGOING, EFFECTIVE MONITORING PROGRAM TO DETECT METHANE LEVELS
PRESENT WITHIN THE WORK PLACE, INCLUDING THE UPPERMOST REACHES
OF THE BUILDING(S).
2.  REMOVE SOURCES OF IGNITION OR PROVIDE GUARDS TO CONFINE THEM
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, OPEN FLAMES, HEAT OR SPARKS
GENERATED BY WELDING, CUTTING, GRINDING OPERATIONS, CIGARETTES
AND ELECTRICAL EQUIIPMENT AND WIRING NOT APPROVED FOR A
HAZARDOUS (CLASSIFIED) LOCATIONS.
3.  INTERIM CORRECTIVE ACTION TO REDUCE AND MAINTAIN INDOOR METHANE
LEVELS TO LEVELS BELOW 25OF THE LEL VIA VENTILATION CONTROLS.
THESE CONTROLS SHALL BE INSTALLED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL
APPLICABLE ELECTRICAL CODES AND STANDARDS INCLUDING, BUT NOT
LIMITED TO, THE NATIONAL ELECTRIC CODE (NEC), NATIONAL FIRE
PROTECTION ASSOCIATION (NFPA) AND EXISTING LOCAL, STATE AND
FEDERAL REGULATIONS.
4.  PERMANENT CORRECTIVE ACTION IN ENGINEERING CONTROLS TO PREVENT
ENTRY OF METHANE GAS INTO THE FACILITY.
ABATEMENT SCHEDULE
Step 1.  IMPLEMENTATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND WORK PRACTICE CONTROLS
AS DETAILED IN ITEMS 1 AND 2 ABOVE.  TO BE COMPLETED IN 5
WORKING DAYS.
Step 2.  SUBMIT TO THE AREA DIRECTOR A WRITTEN DETAILED PLAN OF
ABATEMENT OUTLINING A SCHEDULE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
THE ENGINEERING CONTROLS AS DETAILED IN ITEMS 3 AND 4.  TO
BE COMPLETED IN 30 WORKING DAYS.
Step 3.  IMPLEMENTATION OF ENGINEERING CONTROLS AS DESCRIBED IN
ITEMS 3 AND 4.  TO BE COMPLETED IN 60 WORKING DAYS AND
180 DAYS, RESPECTIVELY.

Issued

1992-07-16 00:00:00

Abate by

1992-07-21 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $600.00 · Current $420.00 Reduced

Issued

1992-07-16 00:00:00

Abate by

1992-10-01 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $600.00 · Current $420.00 Reduced

Issued

1992-07-16 00:00:00

Abate by

1992-07-28 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $450.00 · Current $315.00 Reduced

Issued

1992-07-16 00:00:00

Abate by

1992-10-01 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $450.00 · Current $315.00 Reduced