OSHA Inspection: SAINT-GOBAIN CORP. ENVIRON-CLEAN TECHNOLOGY

Issued

Feb 26, 2003

Abate by

Mar 31, 2003

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $5,000

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 incompatible chemical mixing:
a)Wet Process Chemical Room - Incompatible chemicals, acids, bases, and a
strong oxidizer were mixed in the common drain line for the dip tanks and
at
the waste sump in the southwest corner of the room.  The acids were nitric
acid and hydrofluoric acid; the bases were potassium hydroxide and
ammonium hydroxide (an ammonia source); the strong oxidizer was hydrogen
peroxide.
b)Wet Process Chemical Room - An employee transferred acids and bases
through the common chemical tank drain line to the waste sump in order to
neutralize the containment tank. Incompatible chemicals, acids and bases,
were
being mixed.
c)Wet Process Chemical Room, rinse tanks - Incompatible chemicals from the
rinse tanks (DI tanks) were dumped to the common drain line and waste
sump.
Reactions of incompatible chemicals occurred.  On one occasion an acid
rinse
tank containing nitric acid was dumped, followed by the dumping of a rinse
tank containing potassium hydroxide.  A "red smoke" appeared at the waste
sump in the corner of the room.  The "red smoke" was likely nitrogen
dioxide
from the decomposition of nitric acid.  (It was not totally clear what
caused
this reaction.)  The Merk Index calls nitrogen dioxide a "deadly poison".
The
IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health) level is 20 ppm.  200 ppm
may be fatal, even for a short exposure.
d)Wet Process Chemical Room - Titanium depositions had been treated with
Nitric Acid in the chemical cleaning process, which could have caused an
explosion.
Feasible controls included:
1.Have separate drain lines, sumps, and storage tanks for incompatible
chemicals.
2.Flush the drain line and sump before dumping a rinse bath or the left
over
chemical from pumping a chemical tank to the waste barrels.
3.Stop the practice described in item b) above.
4.Provide a closed, ventilated system for the drain line and the sump.
5.Neutralize acidic and basic rinse tanks before they are dumped.
6.For instance d) develop a different chemical cleaning process.

Issued

Feb 26, 2003

Abate by

Mar 31, 2003

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $5,000

Issued

Feb 26, 2003

Abate by

Mar 31, 2003

Issued

Feb 26, 2003

Abate by

Mar 31, 2003

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $5,000

Issued

Feb 26, 2003

Abate by

Mar 31, 2003

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $1,500

Issued

Feb 26, 2003

Abate by

Mar 31, 2003

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $3,500

Issued

Feb 26, 2003

Abate by

Mar 31, 2003

Issued

Feb 26, 2003

Abate by

Mar 31, 2003

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $3,500

Issued

Feb 26, 2003

Abate by

Mar 31, 2003

Issued

Feb 26, 2003

Abate by

Mar 31, 2003

Issued

Feb 26, 2003

Abate by

Mar 31, 2003