OSHA Inspection: U S BIOFUELS, INC.

Issued

Oct 25, 2013

Abate by

Dec 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $2,940

Hazardous substances 1660

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(d)(3)(i)(B): The employer did not develop piping and instrument diagrams for the equipment that was part of the process.     a) U S Biofuel: The employer failed to develop P&ID's (Piping and Instrumentation Diagram) that include all piping, equipment, valves and other components of the process equipment that existed within all major vessels. Employees were exposed to a fire/explosion hazard involving highly flammable materials such as, but not limited to, methanol while performing activties for the manufacture of biodiesel fuel.

Issued

Oct 25, 2013

Abate by

Nov 25, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $2,940 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1660

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(d)(3)(i)(D): Process Safety Information(PSI) pertaining to the equipment in the process did not include relief system design and design basis for all pressure vessels.      a) U S Biofuel: The employer failed to maintain process safety information that contained calculations and design for relief devices that were utilized to protect pressure vessels R-1 through R-6 reactors. Employees were exposed to the hazard of a fire/explosion hazard while performing activities involving the manufacture of biodiesel fuel, glycerin and other processes.

Issued

Oct 25, 2013

Abate by

Dec 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $2,940 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1660

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(e)(1): The employer did not perform an initial process hazard analysis (hazard evaluation) on processes covered by 29 CFR 1910.119:       a) Biodiesel Production Area:  The employer failed to conduct an initial process hazard analysis on covered processes including, but not limited to, the manufacturer of biodiesel, glycerin, and methanol distillation. Employees were exposed to a fire/explosion hazard involving HHC(highly hazard chemicals) such as, but not limited to, methanol.

Issued

Oct 25, 2013

Abate by

Dec 9, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $2,940 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1660

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(f)(1): The employer did not develop and implement written operating procedures that provide clear instructions for safely conducting activities involved in each covered process consistent with process safety information to include temporary operations, emergency shutdown, personal protective equipment, and consequences of deviation:      a)  U S Biofuel: The employer failed to develop and implement operating procedures for each covered process that addressed safe, accurate, concise instructions. Procedures did not include and reflect all current operating parameters to include, but not limited to, emergency shut down, personal protective equipment, consequences of deviation and temporary operations.  Employees were exposed to a fire/explosion and other hazards while performing duties for the manufacture of biodiesel fuel, glycerin and methanol distillation.

Issued

Oct 25, 2013

Abate by

Nov 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $2,940 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1660

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(f)(4): The employer did not develop and implement safe work practices to provide for the control of hazards during operations such as lockout/tagout; confined space entry; opening process equipment or piping; and control over entrance into a facility by maintenance, contractor, laboratory, or other support personnel:      a) The employer failed to provide and implement safe work practices for operators engaged in activities for the manufacture of biodiesel. Employees were repeatedly priming R-4 pump to move the flow of product to the SPR reactor. Frequent vapor locks prohibited the flow of material through the system.    On or about May 03, 2013 an operator experienced a vapor lock while producing biodiesel fuel in R-5 reactor. A valve was opened to released the vapors and an explosion /fire occurred. A employee sustained serious burns.

Issued

Oct 25, 2013

Abate by

Nov 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $2,940 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1660

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(j)(2): The employer did not implement written procedures to maintain the on-going integrity of process equipment.     a)  U S Biofuel: The employer failed to develop and implement procedures to maintain the on-going mechanical integrity of process equipment. Employees were exposed to materials such as, but not limited to, hydrogen peroxide, methanol, sodium methylate and other hazardous materials while performing repairs and maintenance on reactors, piping and other process equipment.

Issued

Oct 25, 2013

Abate by

Dec 9, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $2,940 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1660

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(l)(1): The employer did not implement procedures to manage changes to process chemicals, technology, equipment, and procedures, and changes to facilities that affect a covered process     a) U S Biofuel: The employer failed to develop and implement management of change procedures for each covered process which reflects deviation from normal operating procedures involving chemicals, equipment and other changes that may affect covered processes. Employees were exposed to the hazard of a fire/explosion and other hazardous conditions while performing duties for the manufacture of biodiesel fuel, glycerin and other processes.

Issued

Oct 25, 2013

Abate by

Nov 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $2,940 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1660

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(n): The emergency action plan did not include procedures for handling small releases:     a) U S Biofuel: The employer failed to include procedures for handling small releases in the facility's written emergency action plan. Employees were exposed to a fire/explosion hazard and other hazardous conditions while performing patching and repairing leaks, clean-up operations from spills and other situations involving small emergency operations. i.e. methanol, sodium methylate, sodium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid, and other materials.

Issued

Oct 25, 2013

Abate by

Nov 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1660

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.120(q)(11)(ii): Where cleanup was done on plant property using plant or workplace employees, such employees had not completed the training requirements of 29 CFR 1910.38(a), 1910.134, 1910.1200, and other appropriate safety and health training made necessary by the task they were expected to perform such as personal protective equipment and decontamination procedures.  a) U S Biofuel: The employer failed to ensure that employees participating in emergency response activities were provided training. Employees were exposed to the hazard of a fire/explosion and other hazardous conditions while performing duties involving repairing leaks, line breaking, clean-up operations and other situation involving small emergency operations.

Issued

Oct 25, 2013

Abate by

Nov 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,680 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1660

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.157(g)(3): Employees who have been designated to use fire fighting equipment as part of the emergency action plan were not provided training in the use of the appropriate equipment:     a) U S Biofuel: Employees were exposed to a fire/explosion hazard while performing assigned activities involving the manufacture of biodiesel fuel and other materials where an exposure to methanol, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hydroxide, sodium methylate, hydrochloric acid and other materials existed.  Employees were expected to utilized fire control devices and were not provided appropriate hands on training on the use of the equipment.

Issued

Oct 25, 2013

Abate by

Nov 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $2,940 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1660

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): The employer did not develop, implement, and/or maintain at the workplace a written hazard communication program which describes how the criteria specified in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f), (g), and (h) will be met:     a) U S Biofuel: The employer failed to develop and implement a written hazard communication for all employees exposed to materials such as, but not limited to, hydrogen peroxide, methanol, sodium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid and other materials while performing activities for the manufacture of biodiesel fuel.

Issued

Oct 25, 2013

Abate by

Dec 9, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1470

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:     a) U S Biofuel: The employer did not provide training on hazard communication for all employees exposed to materials such as, but not limited to, hydrogen peroxide, methanol, sodium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid and other materials while performing activities for the manufacture of biodiesel fuel.