OSHA Inspection: ZURN INDUSTRIES, INC. - CAST METALS DIVISION

Issued

Jul 1, 2002

Abate by

Aug 16, 2002

Penalty

Initial $1,300

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
potentially exposed to fire and explosion
hazards from the ignition of natural gas leaks and/or the migration of
compressed air into the natural gas
supply system because the facilities natural gas torches lacked safety
devices and/or had improper hose, hose
connectors,and fittings:
a.) Zurn Industries/Raspberry Street/Erie, PA /Molding Area & Melt Deck -
Personnel operate
torches that utilize a mixture of natural gas and compressed air to
perform heating operations.  These
operations included but were not limited to preheating ladles, curing
refractory
material, and igniting
coke.  Flexible hoses were utilized to connect the building's natural gas
piping system to the torch
units.  The flexible hoses and their associated coupling hardware (e.g.
hose clamps with tightener
screws and crimp clamps) were not listed and labeled for use with natural
gas. In the melt deck area,
Chicago fittings were utilized to connect the torch's flexible hose to a
gas distribution tree.  The
Chicago fittings were not listed and labeled for use with natural gas.
The torch unit assemblies and
their associated flexible hose and building gas system connections were
not equipped with safety
devices (e.g. check valves, gas regulators, relief valves) to prevent the
back flow of compressed air
from the combustion barrel of the torch into the building's natural gas
piping.
ABATEMENT NOTE:
Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct
the hazard are to comply
with applicable requirements noted in NFPA 54/ANSI Z223.1-1999 ~ National
Fuel
Gas Code Section
5.1 and Section 5.5
Hose & Hose Connections:
National Fuel Gas Code (NFPA 54/ANSI Z223.1) Sections 5.5.1 & 5.5.2
requires gas utilization
equipment to be connected to the buildings piping with listed hosed and
hose connectors.
Back Flow Protection:
National Fuel Gas Code NFPA 54/ANSI Z223.1 Section 5.1.5 requires that
where air or oxygen under
pressure is used in connection with the gas supply, effective means such
as a back-pressure regulator
and relief valve shall be provided to prevent air or oxygen from passing
back into the gas piping.

Issued

Jul 1, 2002

Abate by

Aug 16, 2002

Penalty

Initial $975 · Current $634 Reduced

Issued

Jul 1, 2002

Abate by

Aug 16, 2002

Issued

Jul 1, 2002

Abate by

Aug 16, 2002

Issued

Jul 1, 2002

Abate by

Aug 16, 2002

Issued

Jul 1, 2002

Abate by

Jul 5, 2002

Issued

Jul 1, 2002

Abate by

Jul 5, 2002

Issued

Jul 1, 2002

Abate by

Jul 5, 2002