OSHA Inspection: SCHAEFER PYROTECHNICS INC

Issued

Nov 8, 2004

Abate by

Jan 10, 2005

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $1,000 Reduced

Issued

Nov 8, 2004

Abate by

Dec 28, 2004

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $1,000 Reduced

Issued

Nov 8, 2004

Abate by

May 1, 2005

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $3,000 Reduced

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
are free from
recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious
physical harm to
employees in that the employees were exposed to explosion and burn hazards
of premature
explosions and misdirected pyrotechnic aerial devices.
a)  Riverfront Park, Pittston, PA: fireworks display on or about July 4,
2004.
Among the feasible and acceptable methods to correct these hazards are to
follow all of the
requirements of NFPA 1123, 2000 edition, Code for Fireworks Display.
1)  Chained fused fireworks were in use, and adequate additional measures
were not used to
prevent adjacent mortars from being repositioned in the event that a shell
exploded in a
mortar, causing it to burst (2.6.1).
2)  The mortar racks did not have sufficient strength to withstand
failures
and repositioning
(2.6.1.2), causing the fireworks to be lifted at low angles.
3)  The chained fused fireworks devices were not adequately positioned
securely to prevent
tipover  or hazardous movement during operation (2.6.1.5).
4)  The area of the display site included a building that was not of
substantial noncombustible
or fire-resistant construction, resulting in the building becoming
engulfed in flames
(paragraph 3.1.3.2).
5)  Following the display, a fireworks crew did not conduct an adequate
inspection of the
fallout area for the purpose of locating unexploded aerial shells or live
components, as
unexploded pyrotechnics were found within close proximity to the mortar
placement area as
late as two days after the display (paragraph 5.2.12).
ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIREDATION