OSHA Inspection: GREENVILLE METALS INC.

Issued

Apr 1, 2009

Abate by

Apr 27, 2009

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $3,000 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 fire and explosion hazards from natural gas fired
heaters that were
equipped with improper connectors, hoses, and improperly located gas shut
off.
A)  Greenville Metals, Inc., Powder Room #2  - On or about,10/27/08,
personnel were able
to use a natural gas heater that did not have appropriate connections,
hoses, nor a nearby gas
shut off.
ABATEMENT NOTE:
Among other methods, feasible and acceptable methods to correct the
conditions are to
comply with applicable requirements notes in NFPA 54/ANSI Z223.1 -
National Fuel Gas
God - Section 9.6.1, Section 9.6.2 and Section 9.6.3:  These sections
require gas utilization
equipment  to be connected to the buildings piping with listed hoses and
hose connectors.
Instituiting and enforcing a frequent and periodic inspection program for
the gas shut-off
devices, hoses, and hose connectors.  The inspection program should at
least require
personnel to conduct pre-use and post-use inspections.  A checklist posted
in the areas can
facilitate the inspections.
Utilize connectors that employ a positive meachinical connection/

Issued

Apr 1, 2009

Abate by

Apr 27, 2009

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $3,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not
furnish employmnent 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 a fire/explosion hazard from the piping of the nitrogen
blanket disengaging from
the mixer/blender during the mixing process:
a)  Greenville Metals, melt shop, mixing room - On or about, 10/27/09, a
reaction (explosion)
occured due to the nitrogen blanket piping disengaging from the attachment
point on the vessel
during the mixing/blending process.
ABATEMENT NOTE:
Among other methods, feasible and acceptable means of correct the
conditions are to comply
with applicable requirements noted in NFPA 655 9.1.1 which requires
"inspection, testing and
maintenance program be developed and implemented to ensure that fire and
explosion protection
systems and related process controls and equipment perform as designed."
NFPA 484 13.2.1.1 which states "a change in the process equipment does not
increase the
hazard."

Issued

Apr 1, 2009

Abate by

Apr 27, 2009

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $3,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not
furnish employmnent 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 potential explosion/fire entering back into the building
due to a lack of relief
venting on the baghouse.  There is also no isolation device on the
baghouse which recirculates
air back into the building:
a)  Greenville Metals, baghouse by mixing room - On or about, 10/27/09, a
baghouse outside
of the mixing/blending room did not have relief venting or any isolation
devices.
ABATEMENT NOTE:
Among other methods, feasible and acceptable methods to correct the
conditions are to comply
with applicable requirements noted in NFPA 44 which requires test samples
of actual process
conditions on all thermite reaction and all metal powders.
NFPA 4.2.8 which states "methods of explosion protection using
containment,
venting and
suppression protect the specific process equipment on which they are
installed.  Flame fronts
from a deflagration can propagate through connection ductwork to other
unprotected equipment.
Isolation techniques can be used to prevent the propagation of the
deflagration by arresting the
flame front.

Issued

Apr 1, 2009

Abate by

Apr 27, 2009

Penalty

Initial $1,925 · Current $1,000 Reduced