OSHA Inspection: ARENS CONTROLS COMPANY, LLC

Issued

Nov 20, 2012

Abate by

Jan 9, 2013

Penalty

Initial $6,300 · Current $6,300

Hazardous substances 1410

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1):     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 explosion hazards when the employer failed to ventilate hydrogen gas adequately. The hydrogen gas was generated by hydrogen-on-demand (HOD) units being tested in the Reliability Laboratory.    a) Arens Controls Company, LLC - On May 22, 2012, an explosion occurred at a Tenney Environmental test chamber in the Reliability Laboratory during troubleshooting operations. The following conditions found at the facility increased the potential for an explosion: hydrogen was being created by hydrogen-on-demand (HOD) units being tested and the exhaust system was not designed, constructed, installed, tested and maintained properly to provide safety to life from fires and explosions.

Issued

Nov 20, 2012

Abate by

Jan 9, 2013

Penalty

Initial $6,300 · Current $6,300

Hazardous substances 1410

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i):  Procedures were not developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees were engaged in activities covered by this section:    (a) Arens Controls Company, LLC, Reliability Laboratory - Procedures were not developed, documented, and utilized for the Tenney Environmental test chamber. The Reliability Engineer did voltage testing on equipment circuits. Hydrogen-on-demand (HOD) units that create hydrogen gas were being tested on a test bench adjacent to the test chamber. The exhaust hoses used to exhaust the hydrogen gas created on the test bench HODs was connected to an exhaust hose on the HOD inside the test chamber.  The air conditioning section of the chamber contains open wire heating elements.    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

Nov 20, 2012

Abate by

Jan 9, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $4,500

Hazardous substances 1410

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.307(b):     Areas designated as hazardous (classified) locations under the Class and Zone system and areas designated under the Class and Division system established after August 13, 2007 were not properly documented:     (a) Arens Controls Company, LLC, Reliability Laboratory - The employer did  not document the laboratory and the Tenney Environmental test chamber as hazardous locations. Hydrogen gas was created in hydrogen-on-demand (HOD) units on the test bench in the laboratory. The hoses used to exhaust the hydrogen gas were connected to a hose on an HOD being tested inside the test chamber. Adequate controls were not in place to prevent the gas created in the HODs on the test bench from reaching the HOD inside of the test chamber. The air conditioning section of the chamber contains open wire heating elements. An employee doing servicing on the test chamber and other employees working in the laboratory were exposed to the hazards of the test chamber exploding.     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

Nov 20, 2012

Abate by

Jan 9, 2013

Penalty

Initial $6,300 · Current $6,300

Hazardous substances 1410

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.307(c)(3):  Safe for the hazardous (classified) location. Equipment that is safe for the location shall be of a type and design that the employer demonstrates will provide protection from the hazards arising from the combustibility and flammability of vapors, liquids, gases, dusts, or fibers involved. Equipment was not approved for the class of location and for the ignitable or combustible properties of the specific gas, vapor, dust, or fiber that would be present.    a) Arens Controls Company, LLC - The Tenney Environmental Test Chamber, Model T32RC-2 was used to test equipment that created hydrogen gas and was connected via exhaust hose to equipment that was creating hydrogen gas in an adjacent area. The equipment was not approved for the class of location and for the ignitable or combustible properties of hydrogen gas.    Note to paragraph (c)(3) of this section: The National Electrical Code, NFPA 70, contains guidelines for determining the type and design of equipment and installations that will meet this requirement. Those guidelines address electric wiring, equipment, and systems installed in hazardous (classified) locations and contain specific provisions for the following: wiring methods, wiring connections; conductor insulation, flexible cords, sealing and drainage, transformers, capacitors, switches, circuit breakers, fuses, motor controllers, receptacles, attachment plugs, meters, relays, instruments, resistors, generators, motors, lighting fixtures, storage battery charging equipment, electric cranes, electric hoists and similar equipment, utilization equipment, signaling systems, alarm systems, remote control systems, local loud speaker and communication systems, ventilation piping, live parts, lightning surge protection, and grounding.    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

Nov 20, 2012

Abate by

Jan 9, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,700 · Current $2,700

Hazardous substances 1410

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(1):     Chemical manufacturers and importers did not obtain or develop a material safety data sheet for each hazardous chemical they produced or imported:     (a) On or about May 22, 2012, Arens Controls Company, LLC did not develop a material safety data sheet for hydrogen gas which was created by the electrolysis process in hydrogen-on-demand (HOD) units being tested in the Reliability Laboratory.     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.