OSHA Inspection: SENSORY EFFECTS POWDER SYSTEMS, INC.

Issued

Jul 16, 2014

Abate by

Nov 26, 2014

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances E101M102

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): 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 combustible dust (powdered food ingredients) deflagration, explosion, and/or other fire hazards while working at or near spray drying equipment that was not adequately designed to prevent or minimize employee exposure in the event of an internal deflagration or other fire event:    (a)  Sensory Effects Powder Systems, Inc. located in Defiance, Ohio:  On or about January 31, 2014, the Powder Department's DJ box spray dryer system (main chamber, secondary heating chamber, cooling chamber, drop-out box, and fines recovery cyclones) handling combustible powdered food ingredient dust, operated without a means of explosion protection, including a means to prevent the propagation of a flame front to connected equipment/employee occupied areas:      a.      The dryer lacked a recognized method of explosion protection.      b.     The dryer's drop-out box was open to the downstream shaker table and lacked a method of deflagration propagation prevention (isolation) to downstream operations.   c.      The indoor fines recovery cyclones lacked a method of explosion protection.      (b) Sensory Effects Powder Systems, Inc. located in Defiance, Ohio:  On or about January 31, 2014 the Powder Department building housing the DJ box spray dryer system and open shaker table handling combustible powdered food ingredient dust, lacked a mean of safely relieving pressure from an internal primary deflagration/explosion occurring inside.  Recognized methods of damage limiting construction were not present.   Among other methods, feasible methods to correct this hazard would be to comply with the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) Standards NFPA 654 Standard for the Prevention of Fire and Dust Explosions from the Manufacturing, Processing, and Handling of Particulate Solids, 2013 ed.) - Sections 6.4.1, 7.1.4.1, 7.1.6.1, 7.1.7, 7.13.1.1.1, 7.18.6, 7.18.8; NFPA 61 Standard for the Prevention of Fires and Dust Explosions in Agricultural and Food Processing Facilities, 2013 ed. Sections 4.1.2, 6.2.1, 6.3, 8.3.4, 10.4.3; and NFPA 86 Standard for Ovens and Furnaces, 2011 ed. Section 5.3.1.   Specifically, (1) provide spray dryers and associated fines recovery cyclones with a recognized method of explosion protection such as deflagration venting to a safe outdoor location in accordance with NFPA 68 Standard on Explosion Protection by Deflagration Venting or chemical deflagration suppression in accordance with NFPA 69 Standard on Explosion Prevention Systems; (2) provide the connection between the spray dryer's drop-out box and the shaker table with a recognized method of isolation such as passive isolation via a material choke (rotary valve) per the design requirements in NFPA 69; (3) provide damage limiting construction elements within the structural components of the building such as deflagration venting (engineered relief panels) discharging to safe outdoor locations and in accordance with NFPA 68.

Issued

Jul 16, 2014

Abate by

Nov 26, 2014

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances E101M102

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): 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 combustible dust (powdered food ingredients)  deflagration, explosion, and/or other fire hazards while working at or near a fabric filter media-type dust collector that was not adequately designed and located to prevent or minimize employee exposure in the event of an internal deflagration or other fire event:  (a)  Sensory Effects Powder Systems, Inc. located in Defiance, Ohio:  On or about January 31, 2014,  a fabric filter media-type (baghouse) dust collector  located adjacent to the Powder Pack Department and handling combustible powdered food ingredient dust,  operated without a means of explosion protection including deflagration propagation protection (isolation) to upstream processing areas.  In addition, the dust collector recycled exhaust air directly back into the building.  Among other methods, feasible methods to correct this hazard would be to comply with the National Fire Protection Associations (NFPA) Standards NFPA 654 Standard for the Prevention of Fire and Dust Explosions from the Manufacturing, Processing, and Handling of Particulate Solids, 2013 ed.) - Sections 7.1.4.1, 7.13.1.1.1, 7.13.1.6.1, 7.1.6.1, 7.1.7; and NFPA 61 Standard for the Prevention of Fires and Dust Explosions in Agricultural and Food Processing Facilities, 2013 ed.  Sections 6.3, 10.4.3, 10.4.12.1.  Specifically, (1) relocate the dust collector outside and provide it with a recognized method of explosion protection such as deflagration venting to a safe location in accordance with NFPA 68 Standard on Explosion Protection by Deflagration Venting or equip indoor dust collectors with a recognized method of explosion protection such as deflagration venting to a safe outdoor location in accordance with NFPA 68 or chemical deflagration suppression in accordance with NFPA 69 Standard on Explosion Prevention Systems; (2) isolate the dust collector from the upstream process via the use of an active or passive deflagration isolation system in accordance with NFPA 69; (3) prohibit the recycling of dust collector exhaust into indoor locations unless the requirements listed in NFPA 654 Section 7.13.1.6.3 can be met.