OSHA Inspection: GEORGIA POWER COMPANY

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Nov 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.103(b)(5):  The equipment and functioning of each charged gaseous hydrogen system were not maintained in a safe operating condition in accordance with the requirements of this section.  The area within 15 feet of any hydrogen container was not kept free of dry vegetation and combustible material.      a. Hydrogen bulk storage located outside the facility - The area within 15 feet of the hydrogen storage trucks was not kept free of dry grasses.         b. Hydrogen supply system header under generator #2 - A gaseous hydrogen header valve was not maintained and kept in a serviceable. The valve had been tagged as defective and left in service for approximately two months.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Oct 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(d)(6)(vi): If there is a possibility of reaccumulation of stored energy to a hazardous level, verification of isolation were not continued until the servicing or maintenance is completed or until the possibility of such accumulation no longer exists.      a.  Unit 2 generator - The employer did not verify that the generator continued to be isolated from the re-accumulation of a stored energy source (hydrogen) when a leaking valve on the hydrogen manifold could cause hydrogen gas to reenter the #2 generator casing while shutdown maintenance was performed. The leaking valve had been tagged for repair for two months prior to the maintenance shutdown.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Oct 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(c): The employee in charge did not conduct a job briefing with the employees involved before they started each job, including at least the following subjects: hazards associated with the job, work procedures involved, special precautions:    a. On or about April 2-4, 2013, the Operations Team Leader did not conduct a job safety briefing.  As a result, the Boiler Turbine Operator (BTO) began purging the generator of hydrogen using the wrong procedure.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Oct 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(c): The employee in charge did not conduct a job briefing with the employees involved before they started each job, including at least the following subjects: hazards associated with the job, work procedures involved, special precautions, energy source controls, and personal protective equipment requirements.        a.  The Operator Team Leader did not conduct a job safety briefing with the Boiler Turbine Operators assigned to purge hydrogen from the Unit 2 generator and re-pressure it with 30 psig shop air.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Oct 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(d)(2)(iii): Procedures shall be developed, documented, and used for the control of potentially hazardous energy covered by paragraph (d) of this section.      a.  Unit 2 Generator - On or about April 2-4, 2013, the employer did not develop an operating procedure for re-pressurizing the generator that included a tag out procedure (i.e. clearance) for removing all pressure from the generator.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Oct 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(d)(2)(iv)(B): Specific procedural steps for shutting down, isolating, blocking and securing machines or equipment to control hazardous energy;      a.  Generator 2 - Employees did not follow documented and specific procedural steps (clearance) purging of hydrogen gas from the Unit 2 generator and leaving the pressure within the generator casing at 0 psi (atmospheric conditions).

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Jan 30, 2015

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(d)(2)(iv)(D): Specific requirements for testing a machine or equipment to determine and verify the effectiveness of lockout devices, tagout devices, and other energy control measures.    a.  Unit 2 - On or about April 2-4, 2013, the hydrogen supply tag out procedure did not have specific requirements for testing equipment to determine and verify the effectiveness of tag out.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Oct 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(d)(2)(v)[E]:  The periodic inspection certification of the energy control procedures did not contain the required documentation to identify the machine or equipment on which the energy control procedure was being used, the date of the inspection, the employees included in the inspection, and the person performing the inspection.     a.  Unit 2 - Georgia Power's annual audit reports did not identify the machines inspected or authorized employees who were interviewed during the audit.  Georgia Power also, when conducting annual audits, did not identify and review the more critical clearance procedures, by unit, to be reviewed on an annual basis, while providing for other less critical clearance procedures to be reviewed on a random basis annually.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Nov 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(d)(3)(ii): Lockout devices and tagout devices shall be singularly identified; shall be the only devices used for controlling energy; may not be used for other purposes; and shall meet the following requirements:       a.  Georgia Power will develop a standard (GPC Generator) tagging process for equipment not under a clearance.  Georgia Power will also add language to its 0200 General Clearance Procedure for the removal of equipment under a clearance that is being removed from service.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Oct 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(d)(6)(ii): The machine or equipment was not turned off or shut down using the procedures established for the machine or equipment:     a.  Unit 2 - On or about April 2-4, 2013, when the Unit 2 generator was being purged, all sources of hazardous energy were not isolated and rendered safe by the use of a maintenance clearance (tag out procedure) specifically established for that purpose.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Nov 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(d)(6)(vii): Before starting work on machines or equipment that have been locked out or tagged out, the authorized employee did not verify that isolation and deenergizing of the machine or equipment had been accomplished:  a. Unit 2 equipment - After purging hydrogen gas from the #2 generator, the employer did not verify that isolation from the hydrogen supply had been achieved by removing a supply pig tail, spool piece or other supply disconnects.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Oct 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(d)(7)(iv): Each lockout or tagout device was not removed from each energy isolating device by the authorized employee who applied the lockout or tagout device:    a.  Unit 2 Generator - Boiler Turbine Operators ("BTO") were allowed to remove maintenance hold tags that were applied by other BTOs, without first attempting to contact the applying BTO when the applying BTO was still on site.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Oct 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(d)(8)(ii)(C): When more than one crew, craft, department, or other group is involved, assignment of overall job-associated lockout or tagout control responsibility shall be given to an authorized employee designated to coordinate affected work forces and ensure continuity of protection:  a.  Unit 2 - The employer did not assign overall responsibility for tag out control to one authorized employee to coordinate the transfer of such responsibilities across shift changes for Unit 2.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Nov 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(v)(10)(i): Smoking and other ignition sources are prohibited near hydrogen or hydrogen sealing systems, and signs warning of the danger of explosion and fire shall be posted.  a.  Unit 2 hydrogen header - An ignition source, e.g. an ordinary electrical outlet, not suitable for Class 1, Division 2 locations, was placed underneath the Unit 2 generator hydrogen manifold valves and used as a power source for portable electric monitoring equipment.