OSHA Inspection: PIONEER PLASTICS

Issued

Aug 19, 2002

Abate by

Sep 21, 2002

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $3,200 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 hazards of gas and vapor explosions:
a)At the Polyester Reactors, including the Let Down Kettle Reactor -
Employees
were exposed to the hazards of gas explosions or gas and vapor explosions
from
the ignition of the flammable decomposition products of chemical additives.
b)Specialty Resins Department, Reactors, including the Polyester Reactors
and the
Let Down Kettle Reactor - Employees were exposed to the potential hazards
of
gas and/or vapor fires and explosions in the manufacture of resins.  Will
abate
item (6) as was done in item (a) completion date 01/31/03
Included among the feasible controls for these fire and explosion hazards
were:
1.Instead of charging additives through large material charge openings
(manways)
in reactors, design and install closed pots at the reactors to be able to
charge
additives without opening the large manway openings.
2.Calculate, provide, control, and specify in operating procedures an
adequate flow
of nitrogen through the reactors to ensure a nitrogen purge of oxygen from
the
headspace of the reactors when the manway doors are opened.  Test for
oxygen
in the reactor headspace and test for concentrations of vapors at the face
of the
manway openings to ensure that vapor concentrations do not exceed 10of
the
lower explosive limit.
3.Identify all other potentially hazardous additives that could potential
trigger
incidents of fire or explosion.  For these additives institute the
controls described
in items 1.and 2. above.
4.Conduct Process Hazard Analyses (PHAs) on written procedures involving
potentially hazardous additives. Provide written hazard danger warnings in
written
manufacturing procedures at steps prior to a danger in which an operator
mistake
could lead to a serious incident.  Consider engineering or administrative
controls
to limit these hazardous steps.  Where PSM (Process Safety Management)
processes are involved, conduct PHAs on the standard operating procedures
and
add appropriate danger warnings prior to potential hazardous steps in the
procedures.
5.Add potentially hazardous additives to other materials to lower their
hazard
potential when they are being added to reactors.
6.Train operators in the explosive and decomposition hazards of resin
ingredients,
including additives.  List decomposition temperatures of materials that
are belowthe highest operating temperatures. List the flash points of
liquids
that are below
the highest operating temperatures.  Train operators in the specific
hazards
identified by these lists and add appropriate danger warnings to the
written
operating procedures involving these materials.
7.Install alarmed sensors or monitors at the face of the reactor manways
when they
are opened to assure no vapors concentrations above 10of the Lower
Explosive
Limit (LEL) existed at the open manways.

Issued

Aug 19, 2002

Abate by

Sep 21, 2002

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $1,260 Reduced

Issued

Aug 19, 2002

Abate by

Sep 21, 2002

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $1,260 Reduced

Issued

Aug 19, 2002

Abate by

Sep 21, 2002

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $3,200 Reduced

Issued

Aug 19, 2002

Abate by

Sep 21, 2002

Issued

Aug 19, 2002

Abate by

Dec 1, 2002

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $2,150 Reduced

Issued

Aug 19, 2002

Abate by

Sep 21, 2002

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $3,200 Reduced

Issued

Aug 19, 2002

Abate by

Sep 21, 2002

Issued

Aug 19, 2002

Abate by

Dec 1, 2002

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $2,150 Reduced

Issued

Aug 19, 2002

Abate by

Dec 1, 2002

Issued

Aug 19, 2002

Abate by

Sep 21, 2002

Penalty

Initial $3,150 · Current $2,280 Reduced

Issued

Aug 19, 2002

Abate by

Sep 21, 2002

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $3,200 Reduced