OSHA Inspection: SPARKMAN WELL SERVICE DBA AMERICAN PUMP & TRUCKING

Issued

Jul 8, 2005

Abate by

Jul 14, 2005

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $2,100 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 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 a fire & explosion hazard:
At the McFadden Ranch Tank Battery for well number 164, during tank
preparations for maintenance operations, the employer did not protect
employees
from recognized hazards when working in the presence of potentially
combustible/flammable vapor mixtures by:
a.ensuring that Vacuum truck operators were aware of the hazards involved
in petroleum product and associated materials transfer operations, that
they were properly and adequately instructed in safe product transfer
practices, and that they followed company and facility safety procedures
when loading and off-loading vacuum trucks.
b.bonding the three inch suction hose to the gun barrel tank and the
opposite
end to the tank on Vacuum truck number PT 3.
c.earth grounding or bonding to another object that would inherently ground
Vacuum truck number PT 3.
d.establishment of a schedule for inspecting and testing of the electrical
continuity of grounding and bonding cables.
e.ensuring that Vacuum truck operators place an appropriate portable fire
extinguisher (minimum 20 lb. BC), ready for use, within close proximity
of the operations.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to correct this
hazard
would be to:
a.Implement an effective and reliable means of protection against static
electricity using a dedicated bonding cable system that is regularly
inspected/tested, along with a requirement to implement cable bonding of
the vessel to the vacuum truck as required by API Publication No. 2219,
Second Edition, March 1999.
b.Implement earth grounding of the vacuum truck along with a requirement
for a training program for all vacuum truck operators as required in API
Recommended Practice 2219, Second Edition, March 1999, Section 5.
c.Implement requirement for portable fire extinguisher to be placed as
required in API Publication No. 2219, Second Edition, March 1999,
Appendix C.

Issued

Jul 8, 2005

Abate by

Aug 10, 2005

Penalty

Initial $2,500

Issued

Jul 8, 2005

Abate by

Jul 14, 2005

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $1,875 Reduced

Issued

Jul 8, 2005

Abate by

Jul 14, 2005

Issued

Jul 8, 2005

Abate by

Jul 14, 2005

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $600 Reduced