OSHA Inspection: SUNOCO, INC. SUNOCO PHILADELPHIA REFINERY

Issued

Apr 8, 2011

Abate by

Apr 12, 2011

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

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 fire and explosion hazards:
a) Jobsite: Scaffold at Pumps 12P4A and B, Unit 866 - On or about
11/12/10, employees
performing hot work on a piping system were exposed to fire and explosion
hazards in a work
area that was not made fire safe by the removal of flammables and
combustibles prior to
beginning work.  Aerosol cans of flammable/combustible material were in
the work area at the
beginning and during the course of the hot work.
b) Jobsite: Scaffold at Pumps 12P4A and B, Unit 866 - On or about
11/12/10, employees
performing hot work on an opened piping system that previously contained
hydrocarbons and
that was not cleaned or properly prepared for hot work were exposed to
fire
and explosion
hazards.  The flammable and combustible contents of the opened piping
system fueled a fire.
c) Jobsite: Scaffold at Pumps 12P4A and B, Unit 866 - On or about
11/12/10, employees
performing hot work on an opened piping system were exposed to fire and
explosion hazards
without an effective management system to assess cessation of work when
unsafe conditions
develop.  Maintenance advised operations of changing work conditions of an
opened piping
system that previously contained hydrocarbons and that was not cleaned or
properly prepared
for hot work and were instructed by operations to proceed with the hot
work.
Among other methods, feasible means of abatement were to:
a) Comply with the requirements of NFPA Standard 51B, Fire Prevention
During Welding,
Cutting and Other Hot Work including the requirements of Paragraph 51B
5.2.1, "Hot work
shall be permitted only in areas that are or have been made fire safe".
b) Comply with the requirements of NFPA Standard 51B, Fire Prevention
During Cutting,
Welding and Other Hot Work including the requirements of Paragraph 51B
5.3.4, "Hot work
shall not be permitted... in the presence of uncleaned or improperly
prepared equipment that has
previously contained materials that could develop explosive atmospheres".
c) Comply with the requirements of NFPA 51B, Fire Prevention During
Welding, Cutting and
Other Hot Work including the requirements of NFPA 51B 4.3.3, "The operator
shall cease hot
work operations if unsafe conditions develop and notify management for
reassessment of the
situation".
NOTE: ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATON REQUIREDATON

Issued

Apr 8, 2011

Abate by

Apr 12, 2011

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $1,800 Reduced

Issued

Apr 8, 2011

Abate by

Apr 12, 2011