OSHA Inspection: BTB REFINING, LLC

Issued

Jul 10, 2009

Abate by

Aug 26, 2009

Penalty

Initial $1,250 · Current $1,090 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(d)(1):  In every building or other structure, or part
thereof, used for
mercantile, business, industrial, or storage purposes, the loads approved
by the building official
were not marked on plates of approved design supplied and securely affixed
by the owner of the
building, or his duly authorized agent, in a conspicuous place in each
space to which they relate:
On or about January 19, 2009, and at times prior thereto, in the loading
and
unloading area above the Aerator Basin, employees were exposed to a fall
hazard
and a struck-by hazard from falling material.  The employer failed to
place a sign
indicating the capacity of the floor.

Issued

Jul 10, 2009

Abate by

Jul 29, 2009

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $870 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(c)(1):  Open-sided floor(s) or platform(s) 4 feet or more
above the adjacent
floor or ground level were not guarded by standard railing (or the
equivalent as specified in 29
CFR 1910.23(e)(3)(i) through (v)), on all open sides:
On or about January 19, 2009, and at times prior thereto, on the northeast
side
of the work platform over the North Pump Pit, a section of guard rail was
missing, exposing employees to a fall greater than 13 feet.

Issued

Jul 10, 2009

Abate by

Jul 22, 2009

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(c)(1)(i):  Open-sided floor(s) or platform(s) 4 feet or
more above adjacent floor
or ground level were not equipped with toeboards where required:
On or about January 19, 2009, and at times prior thereto, in the loading
and
unloading area of the Waste Water Aerator Basin, employees were exposed to
falling Morton's Salt Pellets.  The employer did not place a toeboard
under the
gate to the area.

Issued

Jul 10, 2009

Abate by

Jul 15, 2009

Penalty

Initial $1,750 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(c)(2):  Every runway was not guarded by a standard railing,
or equivalent as
specified under 29 CFR 1910.23(e), on all open sides 4 feet or more above
the floor or ground
level:
On or about January 19, 2009, and at times prior thereto, employees were
exposed to a fall hazard when walking along an unguarded berm adjacent to
pipes
running from the process unit to the North Pump Pit.

Issued

Jul 10, 2009

Abate by

Aug 26, 2009

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $3,045 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(e)(5):  The employer did not establish a system to
promptly address the
process hazard analysis team's findings and recommendations:
On or about January 19, 2009, and at times prior thereto, at this location,
employees were exposed to fire hazards when the employer failed to resolve
action items listed during the 1997 Process Hazard Analysis.  Unresolved
action
items included, but were not limited to:
a.number 33, and
b.number 61.

Issued

Jul 10, 2009

Abate by

Jul 15, 2009

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $2,175 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(f)(1)(i)(C):  The employer's written operating procedures
covering the steps
for each operating phase did not address temporary operations:
On or about January 19, 2009, and at times prior thereto, at this site,
employees
were exposed to a fire hazard when the employer did not have written
operating
procedures for cleaning Pump 113 A and B screens.

Issued

Jul 10, 2009

Abate by

Jul 29, 2009

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(f)(2):  Operating procedures were not readily accessible
to
employees who
work in or maintain the process:
On or about March 20, 2009, and at times prior thereto, in the process
unit,
Boardmen were exposed to a fire hazard when they performed line breaking
operations on Pump 113 A and B to clean the screens and the procedure was
not
provided to them.

Issued

Jul 10, 2009

Abate by

Jul 29, 2009

Penalty

Initial $2,500

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(f)(1)(i)(D):  The employer's written operating procedures
covering the steps
for each operating phase did not address emergency shutdown including the
conditions under
which emergency shutdown is required, and the assignment of shutdown
responsibility to
qualified operators to ensure that emergency shutdown in a safe and timely
manner:
On or about January 19, 2009, and at times prior thereto, at this site,
employees
were exposed to a fire hazard when employer's emergency operating
procedures
did not detail conditions for application (or activation) of the fuel gas
system's
total shut-off (red button).

Issued

Jul 10, 2009

Abate by

Aug 5, 2009

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $650 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(g)(3):  The employer did not prepare a means of verifying
that the employee
had received and understood the training required by 29 CFR 1910.119(g):
On or about March 24, 2009, and at times prior thereto, at this location,
employees were exposed to a fire hazard when the employer did not verify
that
each Boardman and each Board Supervisor understood each and every operating
procedure refresher training.

Issued

Jul 10, 2009

Abate by

Jul 15, 2009

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $2,175 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(h)(2)(ii):  The employer did not inform contract employers
of the known
potential fire, explosion, or toxic release hazards related to the
contractor's work and the
process:
On February 27, 2009, and at times prior thereto, at tank #307, contracted
employees, performing tank cleaning operations, were exposed to hazardous
chemicals, such as, but not limited to, lead, arsenic, barium, cadmium,
chromium, mercury, and selenium.  The host employer did not notify the
contract
employees of all the chemical hazards inside of the tank.

Issued

Jul 10, 2009

Abate by

Jul 29, 2009

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $650 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.145(c)(2)(i):  Caution signs were not used where there was a
need to warn against
potential hazards or to caution against unsafe practices:
On January 19, 2009, and at times prior thereto, at this location,
employees were
potentially exposed to hydrogen sulfide when the employer did not place
signs
informing employees as they entered into the process unit.

Issued

Jul 10, 2009

Abate by

Jul 15, 2009

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $870 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(c)(2)(i):  Exposed part(s) of horizontal shafting were not
protected by
stationary casing(s), enclosing shafting completely, or by trough(s)
enclosing sides and top, or
sides and bottom of shafting:
On or about January 12, 2009, and at times prior thereto, adjacent to the
fire
water tank, employees were exposed to a caught-in hazard when a horizontal
drive shaft on the 'jockey' fire water pump was not guarded along the
entire
length of the shaft.

Issued

Jul 10, 2009

Abate by

Jul 15, 2009

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $650 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(e):  Markings were not provided on electrical equipment
giving voltage,
current, wattage, and other ratings as necessary:
On or about January 12, 2009, near the fire water suppression pumps,
employees
were exposed to an electrical hazard when the MCC #4 was not labeled with
its
voltage and wattage.

Issued

Jul 10, 2009

Abate by

Aug 26, 2009

Penalty

Initial $35,000 · Current $30,450 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(e)(5):  The employer did not establish a system to assure
that the process
hazard analysis team's recommendations are resolved in a timely manner and
that the resolution
is documented:
Employees were exposed to fire and explosion hazards because the employer
failed to resolve action item number 59 from the 1997 Process Hazard
Analysis,
which addresses the scenario of an explosion occurring in the North Tank
Farm
facilities.

Issued

Jul 10, 2009

Abate by

Jul 15, 2009

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.157(c)(1):  Portable fire extinguishers were not provided,
mounted, located and
identified, so that they were readily accessible without subjecting the
employees to injuries:
On or about January 19, 2009, inside of the MCC #1 and #3 building,
employees
were exposed to a fire hazard when a portable fire extinguisher was
blocked by
a step ladder.