OSHA Inspection: HERCULES INCORPORATED

Issued

Aug 29, 2007

Abate by

Oct 1, 2007

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $4,500

Hazardous substances 06401430

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 the mixing of incompatible chemicals together so as to
create a hazard.
Beater Room Basement, at the BAC (Bromium Activated Chloride) Biocide
Process - On
5/17/07 the employer did not assure that the proper chemical was used in
the BAC
Biocide Process.  Incompatible muriatic acid in a tote was transferred to
and mixed with
bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite) in the bleach holding tank.
On 5/17/07 an incident in which acid was accidentally added to the bleach
holding tank
caused an exothermic reaction that released chlorine gas and hydrochloric
acid vapors.
The acid, muriatic acid (31hydrochloric acid), was added to bleach
(Sodium
Hypochlorite).  The release would have been prevented, if the acid had not
been
transferred to the bleach tank.
On three occasions on 5/17/07 and on or about 5/4/07 employees mistook
acid totes for
bleach totes.  The acid totes (portable tanks) and the bleach totes were
identical in shape,
size, and color.
Muriatic acid and bleach are incompatible.  Incompatible chemicals are
chemicals that
if accidentally mixed could react and cause toxic vapor release or fires.
Among the feasible controls for this hazard were:
1.In the Beater Room Basement institute a chemical management system to
prevent
the unsafe use of incompatible chemicals, including acid and bleach.
Develop a
chain of custody system for each container.
2.Request that the chemical supplier not ship totes of incompatible
chemicals in
totes that are identical in shape, size, and color.  In the meantime flag
identical
or very similar totes containing chemicals that are incompatible with each
other.
3.Conduct periodic inspections of chemical inventory for incompatibilities
and
conduct periodic audits of the chemical management system to assure it is
working.

Issued

Aug 29, 2007

Abate by

Oct 1, 2007

Penalty

Initial $2,250

Hazardous substances 06401430