OSHA Inspection: DOMINION ENERGY NEW ENGLAND

Issued

2008-05-05 00:00:00

Abate by

2008-06-07 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $6300.00

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 hazard of burns and bodily injury from the hot ash and
steam from leaking
or ruptured pressure-retaining items.  The following conditions
contributed to the existence of
the hazard:
a)  Location - Boiler House, Unit #3:
On or about November 6, 2007 Dominion Energy New England operated a
pressurized
coal fired Babcock & Wilcox that was insufficiently inspected and examined
in the lower
vestibule/dead air space which contains steam at approximately 600 Degrees
Fahrenheit
under 1000 psig.  Three employees were fatally injured on November 6,
2007, when the
boiler tubes ruptured in the lower vestibule/dead air space.
* The lower vestibule/dead air space had not been entered and inspected in
over
9 years. No appropriate testing had been preformed to determine the
conditions
in the lower vestibule/dead air space in that length of time.
* Ash was allowed to accumulate in the lower vestibule/dead air space over
a
long period which does not allow for entry into and inspection of that
area.
Among other methods, feasible means of abatement would be to:
1.  Conduct Operation, Care/Maintenance, and Inspection of power boilers
following
the most recent National Codes such as ANSI/NB-23, ASME Section 7 Care of
Power
Boilers and guidance from Electric Power Research Institute and the
manufacturer,
Babcock and Wilcox.  Including cleaning out the ash and debris from the
vestibule/dead
air space to allow for the inspection.
2.  Determine a lower vestibule/lower dead air space inspection interval
based on sound
engineering principles and scientific data.
3.  Install alarm system associated with power boiler operating parameters
(eg., feed
water make-up, electrostatic precipitator load/current changes, boiler pH,
furnace
pressure, boiler sodium and leaks in vestibules).
4.  Install Leak Acoustic Monitoring system in vestibules.

Issued

2008-05-05 00:00:00

Abate by

2008-06-20 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4500.00

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 crushing hazards:
(a) Location - Maintenance shop:
On or about December 7, 2007, employes were exposed to potential crushing
hazards
from an under hung Harrington hoist.
Among other methods, a feasible means to eliminate or reduce this hazard
is to install
the hoist system, mechanisms and components in accordance with ASME
B30.16. The
hoist and appurtenaces shall be designed to withstand all stresses imposed
under normal
operating conditions while handling loads within the rated load
(capacity).

Issued

2008-05-05 00:00:00

Abate by

2008-06-20 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4500.00 · Current $4500.00

Issued

2008-05-05 00:00:00

Abate by

2008-06-20 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4500.00 · Current $4500.00