OSHA Inspection: EDEN CUSTOM PROCESSING, LLC,A JOINT VENTURE OF

Issued

Aug 29, 2006

Abate by

Sep 1, 2006

Penalty

Initial $28,000

Hazardous substances 13712390

General-duty citation text

North Carolina General Statute 95-129(1) of the Occupational Safety and
Health Act of North Carolina:  The
employer did not furnish to each of his employees conditions of 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 the risk of fire and/or
explosion:
a)Processing area -  the employer processed highly flammable chemicals
(tetrahydrofuran
and heptane) that were incompatible with the thin film evaporator
equipment being used,
prior to and on March 3, 2006.
NOTE:  Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method
to correct this
hazard is to use a separate cooling flush system that is water based, or
otherwise has a high heat
transfer capacity, for the thin film evaporator seals and bearings, both
top and bottom.

Issued

Aug 29, 2006

Abate by

Sep 1, 2006

Penalty

Initial $28,000

Hazardous substances 2390

General-duty citation text

North Carolina General Statute 95-129(1) of the Occupational Safety and
Health Act of North Carolina:  The
employer did not furnish to each of his employees conditions of 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 the risk of fire and/or
explosion:
a)Processing skid - the employer neither properly analyzed and
characterized the waste stream of
THF/heptane prior to distillation, nor performed spot tests/checks for the
presence
of peroxides
in the chemicals received.  The employer did not add an antioxidant to
prevent the formation of
pockets of peroxides, thus preventing pockets of peroxides from being
present in the thin film
evaporator during distillation.
NOTE:  Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method
to correct this hazard is
to store tetrahydrofuran (THF) with approximately 0.025 weight percent of
3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxytoluene (BHT) to prevent the formation of
peroxides, perform spot tests/checks for the presence
of peroxides, so that materials containing more than 2peroxides would
not be distilled, and properly
analyze and characterize the chemicals received for processing.

Issued

Aug 29, 2006

Abate by

Sep 1, 2006

Penalty

Initial $28,000

Hazardous substances 2390

General-duty citation text

North Carolina General Statute 95-129(1) of the Occupational Safety and
Health Act of North Carolina:  The
employer did not furnish to each of his employees conditions of 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 the risk of fire and/or
explosion:
a)Tank farm - the employer did not properly inert the THF/heptane mixture,
THF, or heptane in
the storage tanks to prevent autoxidation of THF and/or fire.  The THF,
upon prolonged
storage, or exposure to moisture or light, can undergo autoxidation,
forming explosive prone
peroxides.  Storage tanks containing the materials were not inerted with
nitrogen to prevent
contact with oxygen.
NOTE:  Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method
to correct this hazard is
to store tetrahydrofuran (THF) with approximately 0.025 weight percent of
3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxytoluene (BHT) to prevent the formation of
peroxides, and store the THF and heptane under dry
nitrogen to avoid contact with air.  Also, the THF should be given a shelf
life to avoid prolonged
storage.d