OSHA Inspection: AMERIGAS

Issued

Jan 4, 2001

Abate by

Feb 6, 2001

Penalty

Initial $6,300 · Current $6,300

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:
On July 18, 2000 and July 19, 2000 employees were exposed to serious
injuries while handling
overfilled LP-gas cylinders, in that they were venting LP-gas to the
atmosphere without
following prescribed NFPA (National Fire Protection Association)
requirements:
Among other methods, the following are feasible and acceptable methods to
minimize the
probability of injury during the purging of LP-gas cylinders to the
atmosphere:
1.  Develop safe purging procedures which list the sequence of operations.
2.  Train all effected employees on the requirements set forth in the
procedures
and related
safety precautions.
3.  Enforce employee use of the procedures.
4.  Follow NFPA 58 requirements for proper purging procedures as included
but not limited
in the following:
a.  If indoors, containers may be vented only in structures designed and
constructed for container filling in accordance with 4200 and Chapter 7
and with the following
provisions:
1.  Piping shall be provided to carry the vented product outside and to a
point at least 3 feet above the highest point of any building within 25
feet.
2.  Only vapors shall be exhausted to the atmosphere.
3.  If a vent manifold is used to allow for the venting of more than one
container at a time, each connection to the vent manifold shall be
equipped with a back flow
check valve.
b.  When out of doors, container venting shall be done under conditions
that will
result in rapid dispersion of the product being released.  Consideration
shall be given to such
factors as distance to buildings, terrain, wind direction and velocity,
and use of a vent stack so
that a flammable mixture will not reach a point of ignition.
c.  If conditions are such that venting into the atmosphere cannot be
accomplished
safely, LP-gas may be burned off providing such burning is done under
controlled conditions
remote from combustibles or a hazardous atmosphere.
5.  Develop and implement procedures for the checking of delivered
cylinders for leakage so as
to take corrective measures in a timely manner if a potentially hazardous
situation exists.
6.  Incorporate these procedures throughout the corporation's facilities.