OSHA Inspection: ACME ALLIANCE, LLC

Issued

Jan 8, 2009

Abate by

Jun 30, 2011

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances E101

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:
Acme Alliance LLC - Employees were exposed to fire and explosion hazards
due to explosive
aluminum dust and the employer did not ensure that dry-type dust
collectors were located outside
of buildings; were provided with deflagration vents; air from dry-type
dust collectors was not
recycled into buildings; and, all components of dust collection systems
were bonded and
grounded on each of the following dust collectors:
a) Green Value Stream - Blast-It-All M2 dust collector, Serial Number
050714206 (installed
July, 2005). Metal dust containing aluminum collected from the 5 gallon
discharge pail was
analyzed for explosibility and found to be a Class ST1 explosive material.
b) Blue Value Stream - George Fischer Goff shot blaster used with a Torit
cyclone and
enclosureless bags. Metal dust containing aluminum collected from the 5
gallon discharge pail
and from inside one of the bags was analyzed for explosibility and were
both found to be Class
ST1 explosive materials.
c) White Value Stream - Blast-It-All M4 dust collector, Serial Number
N031125501SG (installed
November, 2003). Metal dust containing aluminum collected from the 5
gallon discharge pail
was analyzed for explosibility and found to be a Class ST1 explosive
material.
General methods of abatement, among others is to locate the dust
collectors outside of the
building;install deflagrationvents, ensure the dust collector systems are
bonded and grounded and
the air is exhausted to the outside as prescribed by National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA)
484, Standard for Combustible Metals, 2009, relating to minimization of
the occurrence of and
resulting damage from fire and explosion in areas where combustible metal
dusts are produced.
Section 6.3.2.5: "Dry-type dust collectors shall be located outside of
buildings." Section 6.3.5.6
- "Dry collectors used for combustible aluminum dust shall be provided
with deflagration vents."
Section 6.3.6 - "Recycling of air from dry dust collectors into buildings
shall be prohibited."
Sections 6.3.8.2.1 - "All components of dust collection systmes shall be
electrically bonded and
grounded."
Alternatively, replace the dry-type dust collectors with wet collectors.
Installation of wet
collectors must follow prudent practice required by: 2009 NFPA 484,
Standard for Combustible
Metals; International Mechanical Code, Section 510, Hazardous Exhaust and
Conveying;
NFPA
499, Recommended Practice for the Classification of Combustible Dusts and
of Hazardous
Locations for Electrical Installations in Chemical Process Areas; 2010
NFPA 91 Standard for
Exhaust Systems for Air Conveying of Vapors, Gases, Mists, and
Noncombustible Particulate
Solids.
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

Jan 8, 2009

Abate by

May 1, 2010

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,000 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 to the hazards of fire and explosion due to the unsafe
methods of collecting
aluminum dust:
Acme Alliance LLC - Employees were exposed to fire and explosion hazards
due to explosive
aluminum dust and the employer did not ensure that where aluminum and
aluminum alloys are
subjected to processing or finishing operations, dry-type dust collector
ducts were constructed
of conductive materials; dry collectors used for aluminum dust were
provided with deflagration
vents; air from dry dust collectors was not recycled into buildings; and,
all components of dust
collection systems were bonded and grounded on each of the following dust
collectors located
inside the facility:
a) Green Value Stream - Blast-It-All M2 dust collector, Serial Number
050714206 (installed
July, 2005). Metal dust containing aluminum collected from the 5 gallon
discharge
pail was
analyzed for explosibility and found to be a Class ST1 explosive material.
b) Blue Value Stream - Acme Manufacturing B-3 grinder with dust collector,
Serial Number
265666. Settled metal dust containing aluminum collected from the outside
surface of this
machine was analyzed for explosibility and found to be a Class ST1
explosive material.
c) Blue Value Stream - George Fischer Goff Model 1850 dust collector used
with Goff shot
blaster, Serial Number 94051-50-4446 (installed in early 2000). Settled
metal dust containing
aluminum collected from the outside surfaces of this machine was tested
for explosibility and
found to be a Class ST1 explosive material.
d) White Value Stream - Blast-It-All M4 dust collector, Serial Number
N031125501SG (installed
November, 2003). Metal dust containing aluminum collected from the 5
gallon discharge pail
was analyzed for explosibility and found to be a Class ST1 explosive
material.
General methods of abatement, among others is to install ductwork that is
conductive and install
deflagration vents; ensure the dust collector systems are bonded and
grounded and the air is
exhausted to the outside as prescribed in National Fire Protection
Association, (NFPA) 484,
Standard for Combustible Metals, 2006, related to the minimization of the
occurrence of and
resulting damage from fire and explosion in areas where combustible metal
dusts are produced.
Section 6.3.3.5.1 - "Ducts shall be constructed of conductive material."
Section 6.3.5.6 - "Dry
collectors used for combustible aluminum dust shall be provided with
deflagration vents."
Section 6.3.6 - "Recycling of air from dry dust collectors into buildings
shall be prohibited."
Section 6.3.8.2.1 - "All components of dust collection systems shall be
electrically bonded and
grounded."
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 thepurchase or repair of the equipment, photographic or
video evidence of abatement, or other
written records.

Issued

Jan 8, 2009

Abate by

May 1, 2010

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances E101

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 hazards of fire and explosion due to the unsafe
methods of collecting
aluminum dust.
Acme Alliance LLC did not ensure that where aluminum and aluminum alloys
are subjected to
processing or finishing operations, the material discharged from dry-type
collectors is discharged
into metal containers that are promptly and tightly covered to avoid the
creation of airborne
fugitive dust at each of the following dust collectors:
a) Green Value Stream - Blast-It-All M2 dust collector, Serial Number
050714206 (installed in
July, 2005). Metal dust containing aluminum collected from the 5 gallon
plastic discharge pail
was analyzed for explosibility and found to be a Class ST1 explosive
material.
b) Blue Value Stream - George Fischer Goff Model 1850 dust collector used
with Goff shot
blaster, Serial Number 94051-50-4446 (installed in early 2000). Settled
metal dust containing
aluminum collected from the outside surfaces of this machine was tested
and found to be a Class
ST1 explosive material. The dust was collected into a metal container
which was not kept
covered at the base of the equipment.
c) White Value Stream - Blast-It-All M4 dust collector, Serial Number
N031125501SG (installed
in November, 2003). Metal dust containing aluminum collected from the 5
gallon plastic
discharge pail was analyzed for explosibility and found to be a Class ST1
explosive material.
General methods of abatement, among others is to discharge material from
dry-type collectors
into metal containers that are promptly and tightly covered as prescribed
by National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA) 484, Standard for Combustible Metals, 2006,
relating to
minimization of the occurrence of and resulting damage from fire and
explosion in areas where
combustible metal dusts are produced. Section 6.3.5.5.2: "The material
shall be discharged into
metal containers that shall be promptly and tightly covered to avoid the
creation of airborne
fugitive dust."
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

Jan 8, 2009

Abate by

Feb 26, 2009

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances E101