OSHA Inspection: QUAVE FABRICATION AND CONSTRUCTION CO., INC.

Issued

May 22, 2000

Abate by

Jun 15, 2000

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $2,100

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).
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 in
accordance with ASME B31.3-1996, Process Piping, an American National
Standard.