OSHA Inspection: PIERCE BIOTECHNOLOGY INC.

Issued

Sep 5, 2002

Abate by

Oct 8, 2002

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $2,450 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not
furnish to each of his employees, employment and a place of employment
which was free from
recognized hazards that were causing or were likely to cause death or
serious physical harm to
his employees, in that employees were exposed to the potential explosion
of an oven, not
designed for flammable atmospheres, which was used to dry products
containing flammable
organic solvents.
On March 25, 2002, an explosion of an oven occurred at Pierce
Biotechnology, Inc., in
Rockford, Illinois.  The oven was used to dry a product which contained a
flammable
solvent.  The oven was not designed for flammable atmospheres.
A feasible form of abatement is installation of an oven which is in
compliance with
NFPA 86 Standards for Ovens and Furnaces, 1999 Edition.,

Issued

Sep 5, 2002

Abate by

Oct 8, 2002

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $2,450 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not
furnish to each of his employees, employment and a place of employment
which was free from
recognized hazards that were causing or were likely to cause death or
serious physical harm to
his employees, in that employees were exposed to the potential explosion
of an oven as a result
of a deviation from the written procedures.  The standard operating
procedures did not require
consideration of safety and health issues prior to implementation of any
deviation.
On March 25, 2002, an explosion of an oven occurred at Pierce
Biotechnology, Inc.
(Pierce), in Rockford, Illinois.  The oven was used to dry a product which
contained a
flammable solvent.  The addition of the solvent was a deviation from
Pierce's written
procedures.  The resulting hazards from use of the solvent were not
considered prior to
implementation of the deviation.
A feasible form of abatement is compliance with guidance set forth in
Plant Guidelines
for Technical Management of Chemical Process Safety, Chapter 6:Process Risk
Management.  This document provides guidance on how to develop and
implement a risk
management system which includes the performance of an analysis of
potentially
hazardous conditions.