OSHA Inspection: FIRST CHEMICAL CORPORATION

Issued

May 22, 2000

Abate by

Jun 15, 2000

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of Public Law 91-596, 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 hazard of being struck by
flying metal
shrapnel and petroleum lubrication oil when  on or about December 12,
1999, at First Chemical
Corporation, Pascagoula, MS; Area 1400, C-1437; the portion of the Kinney
Model KT-850
Vacuum Pump containing the oil observation glass exploded when compressed
gas was
introduced into the pump during a pneumatic leak test when:
a)  The vacuum pump was neither disconnected from the piping, isolated by
blinds, nor
a valve with a closure mechanism required during a pneumatic leak test
performed on
newly installed process piping for the mechanical vacuum pump. (Reference
ASME
B31.3, Chapter VI, Paragraph 345.3.4).
b)  Requirements were not established for design, construction,
examination, inspections
and testing of the process piping to the vacuum pump to ensure compliance
with
manufacturer recommendations and requirements of the American Society of
Mechanical
Engineers Code for Pressure Piping, B31. (Reference Kinney Vacuum Manual
1843,
Single Stage Vacuum Pumps Series KT, and ASME B31.3, Chapter 1, Paragraph
300
(b)(1).
c)  A pressure relief device was not provided for use during a required
pneumatic leak
test of the newly installed process piping for the mechanical vacuum pump.
(Reference
ASME B31.3, Chapter VI, Paragraph 345.1(b) and 345.5.).
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this hszard is
to assure that for future installations, equipment which is not to be
tested is either disconnected
from the piping, isolated by blinds, or a valve including a closure
mechanism is installed;
requirements are established for construciton, examination, inspection and
testing of the process
piping; and where a hydrostatic leak test is considered impracticable,
particular care must be
taken to minimize the chance of brittle failure during a pneumatic leak
test, including the
assurance that a pressure relief device is provided, and required during
the testing in accordance
with engineering design criteria, manufacturer recommendations, and ASME
B31.3-1996,
Process Piping, an American National Standard.