OSHA Inspection: AARON'S WATER SERVICE, INC.

Issued

Jul 1, 2014

Abate by

Jul 28, 2014

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $3,675 Reduced

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 was 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 and burn hazards associated with flammable liquids and vapors:    (a)Aaron's Water Service, Inc. at 14464 CR 72 Merritt 6-66-9, Lucerne, CO 80646:  On or about March 3rd, 2014, the employer allowed employees to unload flammable liquids from temporary, open-top, production tanks into tractor-trailer vacuum trucks without grounding the trucks, and without bonding the trucks to the tanks.  The lack of grounding and bonding created the potential for a static electricity differential and an ignition source at the truck load-out point located within 18 feet of the tanks.  The conditions exposed employees to explosion and burn hazards.      Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods are stated as follows:    1)  American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 54 for Occupational Safety for Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Servicing Operations dated 1999, Section 7.1.7: "Potential sources of ignition should be permitted only in designated areas located at a safe distance from the well-head or flammable liquid storage areas."    2)  American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 2219 for Safe Operation of Vacuum Trucks in Petroleum Service dated November, 2005, Section 5.3: "Even when using a conductive hose, vacuum truck operators should both ground and bond their trucks when practical to reduce the possibility of electrostatic discharges."     3) American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 2003 for Protection Against Ignitions Arising Out of Static, Lightning, and Stray Currents, Seventh Edition, dated January 2008, Section 4.6.7 Vacuum Truck Operations:   ... "c)  The complete system needs to be bonded so that there is a continuous conductive path from the truck through the hose and nozzle to the tank.  Bonds should not be broken until all transfer equipment (hose) has been withdrawn from the container opening."  and,  ... "e.  Ground the vacuum truck prior to each operation, except where closed connections and conductive hose serve as a ground...."