OSHA Inspection: MAGNABLEND, INC

Issued

Mar 30, 2012

Abate by

May 15, 2012

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:
On or about October 3, 2011 and at times prior thereto, the employer did
not protect employees
from the recognized hazard of fire caused by the generation and
accumulation of hydrogen and
also from the recognized hazard of skin and respiratory irritation where a
caustic product was
present in steam that dissipated throughout the factory where employees
worked.  Sufficient
information was not obtained to assess the hazards of manufacturing
Opti-Treat, a water
treatment product.
One feasible means of abatement, among others would be to develop a
program that ensures
enough information about the chemical hazards of a new reaction is
obtained;
that information
about the technology of the process for the reaction is obtained and that
the process is feasible
for the facility being considered to house it; and that acquisition and
installation of equipment
is controlled as the process unit is built.  A process hazard analysis
conducted by personnel with
the expertise to consider and manage the program is a recognized method to
organize and
eliminate or minimize risk as projects are considered and developed.

Issued

Mar 30, 2012

Abate by

Apr 3, 2012

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:
On or about October 3, 2011 and at times prior thereto, the employer did
not protect employees
from the recognized hazard of fire caused by the generation and
accumulation of hydrogen and
also from the recognized hazard of skin and respiratory irritation caused
by a caustic product
present in steam that dissipated throughout the factory where employees
worked.  These products
of the reaction were released into the factory's atmosphere during the
process of manufacturing
Opti-Treat, a water treatment product.  No ventilation system was
installed sufficient to remove
products of the reaction to a safe location.
One feasible means of abatement, among others would be to isolate the
process away from other
manufacturing facilities and install equipment to control the reaction
such as, but not limited to,
a cooling system to control temperatures and an exhaust system adequate to
safely remove
products of the reaction.  Equipment in the area should be intrinsically
safe, rated for the
hazardous (classified), or safe for the hazardous (classified) location in
the event that the exhaust
system fails and hydrogen and other by-products of the reaction escape
into the manufacturing
area.

Issued

Mar 30, 2012

Abate by

Apr 3, 2012

Penalty

Current $7,000

Issued

Mar 30, 2012

Abate by

May 15, 2012