OSHA Inspection: STELLA FOODS INC

Issued

May 4, 1998

Abate by

Jun 6, 1998

Penalty

Initial $2,625

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 burn hazards from steam and hot water:
a)  On 12/4/97, maintenance employees were exposed to burn hazards from
steam and hot water
when feedwater piping blew off a high pressure boiler during
troubleshooting.  The feedwater
pump had failed to deliver water to the boiler and a low water condition
occurred.
Abatement may be achieved by compliance with the following subsections
from the
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code - 1989; Section VII, Recommended
Guidelines
for the Care of Power Boilers;
1)  Subsection C3.530, Boiler Feed Pumps - Normal Operations: Establishment
of minimum flow to prevent overheating and use of a recirculating system to
ensure minimum flow.  A method of abatement includes following the boiler
and
pump manufacturer's installation instructions for feedwater systems.
Recommendations to prevent reoccurence include installation of a manual
bypass
feedwater supply to the boiler, monitoring feedwater temperature, and a
pressure
relief device on the pump.
2)  Subsection C6.900, Inspection Guidelines for Feedwater Supply, Pump,
Regulators and Control: A method of abatement is to follow the
manufacturer's
recommendations in Kewaunee Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual
for Classic III Scotch Boilers. Such recommendations include regular
testing of
low water cutoff devices, prompt repair and replacement-in-kind of
feedwater
piping regulator and control valves.
3)  Subsection C4.500,  Feedwater Regulator Valve: Off-normal operation to
be
promptly attended by qualified personnel.  A method of abatement would
consist
of providing training in normal and off-normal boiler operations with
specific
start-up, shutdown and emergency procedures for those employees who are
charged with boiler attendance.  Training specific to the Kewaunee boiler
is
available from the manufacturer.
Abatement Certification and Documentation Required