OSHA Inspection: GARDNER ASPHALT CORPORATION

Issued

Jul 13, 2006

Abate by

Aug 8, 2006

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $6,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The
employer did not furnish
a place of employment  free from recognized hazards that were causing of
likely to cause death
or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to
injuries and/or death
from explosions:
On or about January 29, 2006, at the above located work place, an employee
required to climb
on top of a heated asphalt tank to measure the level of asphalt was
exposed to explosion hazards.
The employee was fatally injured when the tank exploded.
One feasible and acceptable method, among others, to correct this hazard
would be to develop,
implement and enforce a comprehensive plan to store and handle asphalt in
accordance with the
American Petroleum Institute (API), Publication 2023-July 1988. The plan
shall address the
hazards associated with the storage of heated asphalt, as well as the
monitoring and controlling
methods used to heat the product, product temperature, pyrophoric
deposits,
the presence of
water, tank venting, and all other recognized factors associated with
vapor space explosions
and/or other related conditions which may cause tank overpressurization.
NOTE:  29 CFR 1903.19 REQUIRES THAT YOU PROVIDE CERTIFICATION AND
DOCUMENTATION OF ABATEMENT FOR THIS ITEM.