OSHA Inspection: ADVANCED FIBER TECHNOLOGY INC.

Issued

Jun 25, 2009

Abate by

Jul 22, 2009

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $800 Reduced

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 dust explosion, deflagration, or other fire
hazard from the design
of the pneumatic conveying system and air material separators:
(a) Advanced Fiber Technology, Inc., 100 Crossroads Blvd., Bucyrus, Ohio:
On
or about  February 17, 2009, the pneumatic conveying system which included
two
air-material separators (cyclones) and which conveyed paper fibers
contained
a
combustible mixture of dust.  The pneumatic system was not equipped with
deflagration propagation controls preventing upstream and downstream
propagation,
air-material separators were located inside the building, and the
air-material separators
were not equipped with deflagration venting.  On February 17, 2009, a dust
explosion
occurred at the facility when burning paper fibers were drawn into the
pneumatic
conveying system and ignited the suspended mixture of dust in the duct
work and two
cyclone separators.
Among other methods, a feasible abatement method to correct this hazard
is: perform
a process hazard analysis (PHA) of the processes and the facility per the
intent of
NFPA 654-2006, section 4.2 (Process Hazard Analysis) standard for the
Prevention of
Fire and Dust Explosions from the Manufacturing, Processing and Handling of
Combustible Particulate Solids;  provide appropriate isolation devices to
prevent
deflagration propagation between pieces of equipment connected by ductwork
per the
intent of NFPA 654-2006, Section 7.1.4 (Isolation of Equipment);  provide
appropriate isolation devices to prevent deflagration propagation from
air-material
separators upstream to the work per the intent of NFPA 654-2006, Section
7.1.5
(Deflagration Isolation); and relocate the air-material separators outside
the building
or install engineering controls such as suppression, inerting, and venting
to the outside
in accordance with the requirements of NFPA 654, section 7.13.1.1.1
(Location).
In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d), abatement certification is required
for this
violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET),
and in addition, documentation demonstrating that abatement is complete
must be
included with your certification.  This documentation may include, but is
not limited to,
evidence of the purchase or repair of the equipment, photographic or video
evidence of
abatement, or other written records.

Issued

Jun 25, 2009

Abate by

Jun 30, 2009

Penalty

Initial $1,050 · Current $500 Reduced

Issued

Jun 25, 2009

Abate by

Jul 15, 2009

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $800 Reduced

Issued

Jun 25, 2009

Abate by

Jun 30, 2009

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $400 Reduced

Issued

Jun 25, 2009

Abate by

Jul 15, 2009

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $400 Reduced

Issued

Jun 25, 2009

Abate by

Jul 15, 2009

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $400 Reduced

Issued

Jun 25, 2009

Abate by

Jul 15, 2009