OSHA Inspection: HBA CAST PRODUCTS CO., INC.

Issued

Jul 22, 1999

Abate by

Sep 30, 2000

Penalty

Initial $1,875 · Current $938 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
engaged in aluminum processing and finishing operations such  grinding,
wheelabrating, sawing,
and regular maintenance of the processing equipment's dust collection
systems were exposed to
potential fire and explosion hazards posed by the generation of fine
metallic dusts :
SPECIFICALLY , EMPLOYEES WERE EXPOSED TO THE FOLLOWING FIRE AND
EXPLOSION HAZARDS:
a) GRINDING AREA: THE ROTOCLONE DRY TYPE DUST COLLECTOR WAS NOT
LOCATED OUTSIDE THE BUILDING.
b) GRINDING AREA: THE BLOWER FOR DRAWING THE DUST LADEN AIR INTO THE
ROTOCLONE DUST COLLECTOR WAS NOT LOCATED ON THE CLEAN AIR SIDE OF
THE ROTOCLONE'S DRY TYPE DUST COLLECTOR.
c) GRINDING AREA, GE HUB DEPARTMENT & PERMANENT MOLD DEPARTMENT:
DUST FROM GRINDING AND SHOT BLASTING OPERATIONS WAS NOT REMOVED
FROM THE DRY TYPE COLLECTORS AT LEAST ONCE DAILY.
d) GE HUB DEPT: THE DRY TYPE DUST COLLECTOR SERVING THE
WHEELABRATOR A TABLE MODEL 70-AC SN 102414 BLAST CLEANER, WAS NOT
LOCATED OUTSIDE THE BUILDING.
e) GE HUB DEPARTMENT; THE CARBORUNDUM DRY TYPE DUST COLLECTOR, SN
# 73.242.1.02.01.400.CN2, SERVING THE REBUILT WHEELABRATOR TUMBLASTER,
MODEL A121491 WAS NOT INSTALLED OUTSIDE THE BUILDING.
f) PERMANENT MOLD DEPARTMENT: THE AMERICAN DUST TUBE DRY TYPE DUST
COLLECTOR SERVING THE WHEELABRATOR TUMBLASTER , SERIAL NO. A 59470,
WAS NOT INSTALLED OUTSIDE THE BUILDING.
g) THE AREAS AROUND THE DRY TYPE DUST COLLECTORS IN THE GE HUB,
GRINDING AND THE PERMANENT MOLD DEPARTMENT WERE NOT POSTED WITH
CAUTION SIGNS WARNING " THIS DUST COLLECTOR CAN CONTAIN EXPLOSIBLE
DUST"
h) GRINDING DEPARTMENT; THE DUST HOODS SERVICING GRINDING MACHINES
IN THE GRINDING DEPARTMENT WERE NOT PROVIDED WITH PLACARDS
WARNING USERS "ALUMINUM METALS ONLY- FIRE OR EXPLOSION CAN RESULT
WITH OTHER METALS."
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT
METHOD TO CORRECT THESE HAZARDS WOULD BE THE FOLLOWING ;
1) LOCATE  ALL THREE WHEELABRATOR'S DUST COLLECTION SYSTEMS OUTSIDE
THE BUILDING OR SEGREGATE IT FROM THE PROCESSING AREAS AS
RECOMMENDED BY NFPA 651, 1998 EDITION , STANDARD FOR THE MACHINING
AND FINISHING OF ALUMINUM AND THE PRODUCTION AND HANDLING OF
ALUMINUM POWDERS, CHAPTER 4.
2) REPLACE, MODIFY OR UPGRADE THE ROTOCLONE'S DUST COLLECTION
SYSTEM SERVING THE GRINDING DEPARTMENT SO THAT THE BLOWER DRAWING
THE DUST LADEN AIR FROM THE GRINDERS IS SITUATED ON THE CLEAN SIDE
OF THE DRY TYPE COLLECTOR, AS RECOMMENDED BY NFPA 651 CHAPTER 4.
3) EVALUATE ALL EXISTING VENTILATION EQUIPMENT FOR CONFORMANCE
WITH NFPA 651 CHAPTER 4
4) ESTABLISH REGULAR HOUSEKEEPING PRACTICES, AS RECOMMENDED BY NFPA
651 CHAPTER 5 TO PREVENT ACCUMULATION OF FINE METAL DUSTS.
5) POST AREAS AND EQUIPMENT THAT POSE FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARDS
WITH WARNING SIGNS AS RECOMMENDED BY NFPA 651 CHAPTER 4.
6) ESTABLISH A DAILY DUST COLLECTOR EMPTYING SCHEDULE AS
RECOMMENDED BY NFPA 651 CHAPTER 4,
7) ESTABLISH AN EMPLOYEE TRAINING PROGRAM WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE
FOLLOWING:
i) Training in the safe handling of aluminum dusts and specific
requirements applicable
to the work environment to control or eliminate the fire and explosion
hazards.
ii) Procedures to be followed in case of equipment or process failure that
may result in
fire or explosion,
iii) Develop operating procedures which are reviewed at least once per
year and after
every process change.
8) DESIGN WORK AREA INTERIORS AND EQUIPMENT TO BE SMOOTH AND EASY
TO CLEAN.
9) ELIMINATE ALL SOURCES OF IGNITION INCLUDING SMOKING, OPEN FLAMES,
LIGHTS AND STATIC ELECTRICITY.
10) REDESIGN EQUIPMENT SUCH AS GRINDER HOODS, AND OTHER DUST
HANDLING OPERATIONS SUCH AS COLLECTOR EMPTYING TO BE AS DUST TIGHT
AS POSSIBLE.

Issued

Jul 6, 1999

Abate by

Jan 18, 2001

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $750 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 burns from the accidental ignition of natural gas due to
improper use of flexible
hose connectors providing fuel gas/air mixture to portable die heating
burners.
PERMANENT MOLD DEPARTMENT: PORTABLE DIE HEATING BURNERS UTILIZING
PRESSURIZED NATURAL GAS/AIR MIX WERE CONNECTED TO TWO (2) GAS MIXING
MACHINES WITH FLEXIBLE CONNECTORS WHICH HAD THE FOLLOWING
RECOGNIZED HAZARDS:
a)FLEXIBLE CONNECTIONS WERE IN EXCESS OF MINIMUM PRACTICAL LENGTHS.
b) FLEXIBLE CONNECTORS HAD EXTENSIVE PHYSICAL DAMAGE AND HAD NOT
BEEN REMOVED FROM SERVICE.
c) FLEXIBLE CONNECTIONS WERE NOT CONNECTED TO SUPPLY MANIFOLDS AND
BURNERS WITH APPROVED CLAMPS OR CONNECTION DEVICES,
d) SHUT OFF VALVES WERE NOT LOCATED WITHIN 6 FEET OF THE EQUIPMENT
SERVED BY THE GAS.
e) IN SOME INSTANCES, FLEXIBLE CONNECTORS WERE INSTALLED DIRECTLY IN
THE BURNER'S FLAME, AND
f) APPROVED AUTOMATIC FIRECHECKS WERE NOT INSTALLED UPSTREAM AND
AS CLOSE AS PRACTICAL TO BURNER INLETS.
AMONG OTHER METHODS ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT
METHOD TO CORRECT THESE HAZARDS WOULD BE TO ENSURE THAT ALL
NATURAL GAS PIPING AND FLEXIBLE CONNECTION SYSTEMS MEET
SPECIFICATIONS SET FORTH BY THE NATIONAL FUEL GAS CODE, ANSI Z223.1-
1996, NFPA 54-1996 OR OTHER NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AUTHORITY.

Issued

Jul 6, 1999

Abate by

Jul 9, 1999

Penalty

Initial $1,875

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 hazards of rapidly expanding steam vapor/molten metal
explosion.
a) CENTRAL MELT/LARGE DIECAST DEPARTMENT: EMPLOYEES WORKING IN THE
FOUNDRY IN THE VICINITY OF THE CENTRAL FURNACE AND DIECASTERS # 23,
24 AND 25 WERE EXPOSED TO THE HAZARD OF AN EXPLOSION BECAUSE POOLS
OF WATER WERE ALLOWED TO ACCUMULATE BENEATH THE THREE LARGE
DIECAST MACHINES. MOLTEN METAL ACCIDENTLY SPILLING DURING ANY PART
OF THE OPERATION COULD ENTRAP THE WATER THEREBY CAUSING AN
EXPLOSION. AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE
ABATEMENT METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD WOULD BE TO REPAIR ALL
WATER LEAKS IN THE LARGE DIECASTERS COOLING SYSTEMS THAT IS
RESULTING IN THE STANDING POOLS OF WATER UNDER AND AROUND THE
DIECASTERS, ESTABLISH A MORE EFFECTIVE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM FOR THE DIECASTERS TO MINIMIZE FUTURE WATER LEAKS AND
IMPLEMENT A ZERO TOLERANCE FOR THE PRESENCE OF STANDING WATER IN
ALL MOLTEN METAL HANDLING AREAS.

Issued

Jul 6, 1999

Abate by

Jul 16, 1999

Penalty

Initial $1,875 · Current $938 Reduced

Issued

Jul 6, 1999

Abate by

Jul 23, 1999

Issued

Jul 6, 1999

Abate by

Sep 8, 1999

Penalty

Initial $1,875 · Current $938 Reduced

Issued

Jul 6, 1999

Abate by

Sep 8, 1999

Issued

Jul 6, 1999

Abate by

Aug 8, 1999

Penalty

Initial $1,875 · Current $938 Reduced

Issued

Jul 6, 1999

Abate by

Aug 8, 1999

Issued

Jul 6, 1999

Abate by

Aug 8, 1999

Issued

Jul 6, 1999

Abate by

Jul 9, 1999

Penalty

Initial $1,875 · Current $938 Reduced

Issued

Jul 6, 1999

Abate by

Jul 16, 1999

Penalty

Initial $1,875 · Current $938 Reduced