OSHA Inspection: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS

Issued

Jun 25, 2010

Abate by

Jul 28, 2010

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $3,150 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 hazard of suffering pulmonary edema as a result of
exposure to hazardous
vapors produced by the thermal decomposition of Polytetrafluoroethylene:
a)Zitex Oven Room:  Polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE) used to manufacture
filters for
jet engines underwent thermal decomposition exposing employees to hazardous
vapors such as, but not limited to, Carbonyl fluoride, Carbon Monoxide,
Hydrogen Fluoride, and Perfluoroisobutylene, due to a failure of a
thremocouple
allowing the oven temperature to reach 1000 degrees Fahrenheit which was
well
above the PTFE decomposition temperature of 752 degrees Fahrenheit, on or
about 1/7/10.
Among other methods, feasible and acceptable means of abatement to correct
this
hazard
would be to:
1) Ensure that PTFE temperature does not exceed 752 degrees Fahrenheit;
2)Install an audible alarm and a visual warning light to warn employees in
case of
thermocouple malfunction; and
3)Install an additional thermocouple as a back-up to further prevent a run
away
temperature rise.