OSHA Inspection: OPS CONTRACTING SERVICES LLC

Issued

Jan 23, 2007

Abate by

Feb 22, 2007

Penalty

Initial $5,400 · Current $5,400

Hazardous substances 0540

General-duty citation text

T.C.A. 50-3-105(1):  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, the employer did not ensure carbon disulfide vapor-in-air
concentrations exiting a storage
tank were controlled and carbon disulfide vapor-in-air concentrations in
areas containing the
storage tank cleaning process were maintained to less than the respective
lower flammable limit,
which exposed employees to both toxic and explosive environments.
Employees, in the process
of cleaning a storage tank located at 100 Spontex Drive, Columbia, TN,
delivered approximately
6500-psi of water pressure to the tank interior, purposefully dislodging
rust and scale build-up
and consequently releasing carbon disulfide liquid and corresponding
vapor.  The concentration
of carbon disulfide existing in the tank interior or directly outside the
tank was never measured;
however an ignition source caused an explosion and resultant flames
discharged
from the tank
manhole for several seconds.  The occurrence of an explosion indicated
that a minimum carbon
disulfide vapor-to-air concentration of 1 , or 10,000-ppm, found an
ignition source.  An
employee was exposed to the flash fire, which caused the employee's death.
Consensus standards, such as NFPA and API, detail precautions and
procedures for controlling
flammable atmospheres during storage tank cleaning.  A feasible abatement
method to correct
this hazard, as described in NFPA 326 and API 2016, is to remove flammable
vapors from the
tank prior to cleaning, and thereafter ensure by means of continuous or
periodic monitoring a
carbon disulfide vapor-in-air mixture does not exceed a predetermined
vapor-in-air mixture (e.g.,
10of the lower flammable limit).  Procedures should also be developed
and implemented to
cease cleaning activities if the predetermined vapor-in-air mixture limit
is reached, and
subsequently eliminate or control the source of vapors.
Abatement Verification Required

Issued

Jan 23, 2007

Abate by

Feb 22, 2007

Hazardous substances 0540

Issued

Jan 23, 2007

Abate by

Feb 22, 2007

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $4,000

Hazardous substances 0540

Issued

Jan 23, 2007

Abate by

Feb 22, 2007

Penalty

Current $4,000

Hazardous substances 0540

Issued

Jan 23, 2007

Abate by

Feb 22, 2007

Penalty

Initial $2,450 · Current $2,450

Hazardous substances 0540

Issued

Jan 23, 2007

Abate by

Feb 22, 2007

Hazardous substances 0540

Issued

Jan 23, 2007

Abate by

Feb 22, 2007

Hazardous substances 0540

Issued

Jan 23, 2007

Abate by

Feb 22, 2007

Hazardous substances 0540

Issued

Jan 23, 2007

Abate by

Feb 22, 2007

Hazardous substances 0540

Issued

Jan 23, 2007

Abate by

Feb 22, 2007

Hazardous substances 0540

Issued

Jan 23, 2007

Abate by

Feb 22, 2007

Hazardous substances 0540

Issued

Jan 23, 2007

Abate by

Feb 22, 2007

Hazardous substances 0540