OSHA Inspection: INSULFOAM AKA WESTERN INSULFOAM

Issued

Sep 18, 1997

Abate by

Nov 5, 1997

Penalty

Initial $1,100

General-duty citation text

Section 50-9-5(A), NMSA 1978 (New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety
Act):  Every
employer shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of
employment which
are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause
death or serious physical
harm to his employees.
ASME sections 842.32 and 849.43 and ANSI B31.8-1986 limits the operating
pressure of plastic
distribution systems to 100 PSI and prohibits the installation of such
systems above ground
except where "...the above ground portion of the plastic service line is
completely enclosed in
a conduit or casing of sufficient strength to provide protection from
external damage and
deterioration." :
The service lines used to supply compressed air, at 145 PSI, were made of
PVC,
a material not designed for this purpose because it shatters upon failure
of the
material from external damage of physical wear. The piping was not encased
to
protect the employees, where there are instances in which the employees
work
as
near as three feet from these pipes.
One feasible and acceptable abatement method would be to replace the piping
with one made of material designed for that purpose or to enclose the PVC
pipe
within a conduit that would contain the debris in case the PVC pipe fails
and
shatters.

Issued

Sep 18, 1997

Abate by

Sep 30, 1997

Issued

Sep 18, 1997

Abate by

Nov 5, 1997

Issued

Sep 18, 1997

Abate by

Oct 22, 1997

Issued

Sep 18, 1997

Abate by

Oct 15, 1997

Issued

Sep 18, 1997

Abate by

Oct 7, 1997