OSHA Inspection: TYSON SHARED SERVICES INC DBA TYSON FOODS INC TRUC

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 20, 2000

Penalty

Initial $4,500

General-duty citation text

KRS 338.031(1)(a): 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:
a.As stated in the Handbook of Compressed Gases, third edition ,
Compressed Gas
Association Inc.  Inert gases such as ...,nitrogen,... are simple
asphyxiants which can
displace oxygen in the air, which is necessary to sustain life, and can
cause rapid
suffocation due to oxygen deficiency.  Inert gases handled as cryogenic
liquids can,
if released, generate extremely large volumes of inert gas which can
rapidly displace
oxygen in the atmosphere. For example one volume of liquid nitrogen at its
boiling
temperature at 1 atmosphere vaporizes to 696.5 volumes of nitrogen gas when
warmed to room temperature (70 degrees F at 1 atmosphere). Therefore, any
time
there is a leak or spill of inert gas, there is a serious hazard of oxygen
deficiency in
the atmosphere.  The cold boil-off vapors of these inert gases can
generally be seen as
a fog due to condensing moisture in the air. However, these vapors quickly
transform
into invisible inert gas at room temperature.
A new line in the IQF department designated line 6 uses liquid nitrogen
to quick freeze chicken.   The company had not performed any air sampling
in
the area to determine if oxygen levels were with in normal limits prior to
August 17, 1999 when the CSHO brought this hazard to the employers
attention. The Energy Services Manager then used the companys multi-gas
meter to determine oxygen levels in the line 6 IQF department.  Oxygen
level
readings were taken at floor, waist and head levels.   Oxygen levels taken
on
August 17, 1999 showed two areas in the IQF area, line 6 to be at 19.9and
19.5oxygen.  An oxygen deficient atmosphere is considered to exist when
oxygen levels are below 19.5
Employees normally work on a platform next to the line, however, they
must exit to the floor to exit the area.  By exiting to the floor level
employees
must expose themselves to the potential oxygen deficient atmosphere created
by the cloud of cold nitrogen gas generated from the use of liquid
nitrogen.
Maintenance workers maintain and repair the system exposing them to the
potential oxygen deficient atmosphere.
The employer has not installed an alarm system that will inform and
warn employees of low oxygen levels in this area.  The alarm is to notify
employees of a Immediately dangerous to life or health situation and that
the
area needs to be evacuated.
The purpose of this standard is to ensure that the employer has
provided a place of employment that is free of all recognizable hazards.
Oxygen levels reported on August 17, 1999 by the employers Energy Services
Manager were as low as 19.5oxygen. The employer has not installed a
continuous means to inform exposed employees of when a dangerous situation
concerning low oxygen levels occurs in an area such as an full time oxygen
level alarm.  In addition the employer must provide a means to ensure the
safe
exit of employees from the area in the event that an accidental release of
liquid
nitrogen in the area occurred.  The employer may either install emergency
ventilation of the area operated by oxygen sensors or provide and
trainemployees in the use of emergency escape respirators, since under
conditions
where a release of liquid nitrogen occurs the oxygen levels would be
expected
to drop rapidly.

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 20, 2000

Penalty

Initial $4,500

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 20, 2000

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 11, 2000

Penalty

Initial $4,500

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 11, 2000

Penalty

Initial $3,150

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 11, 2000

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 11, 2000

Penalty

Initial $2,250

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 11, 2000

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 25, 2000

Penalty

Initial $4,500

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 15, 2000

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 15, 2000

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 20, 2000

Penalty

Initial $2,250

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 25, 2000

Penalty

Initial $4,500

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 25, 2000

Penalty

Initial $4,500

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 11, 2000

Penalty

Initial $4,500

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 25, 2000

Penalty

Initial $4,500

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 25, 2000

Penalty

Initial $4,500

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 25, 2000

Penalty

Initial $4,500

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 25, 2000

Penalty

Initial $4,500

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 25, 2000

Penalty

Initial $4,500

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 25, 2000

Penalty

Initial $4,500

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 25, 2000

Penalty

Initial $4,500

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 20, 2000

Penalty

Initial $2,250

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 20, 2000

Penalty

Initial $2,250

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 11, 2000

Penalty

Initial $4,500

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 11, 2000

Issued

Feb 7, 2000

Abate by

Feb 11, 2000