OSHA Inspection: ADDIVANT USA, LLC

Issued

Sep 10, 2014

Abate by

Sep 22, 2014

Penalty

Initial $6,300 · Current $6,300

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 the hazard of operating hydrochloric acid storage tanks without operational high liquid level sensors to alert employees to take action before a storage tank overfills and ruptures:  (a)  North Plant 181 Tank Farm: On or about April 4, 2014 a storage tank of 36 percent grade hydrochloric acid (HCl) was overfilled and ruptured releasing approximately 100 gallons of its contents. This tank, and other similar HCl tanks, were operated with a non-functional high liquid level sensor that would have activated an alarm alerting unit operators that were away from the control room of a hazardous high level in the tank.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.

Issued

Sep 10, 2014

Abate by

Sep 22, 2014

Penalty

Initial $6,300 · Current $6,300

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(1)(i): Selection of appropriate respirators was not based on the respiratory hazard(s) to which the worker was exposed and user factors that affect respirator performance and reliability:  (a) 181 Tank Farm:  On or about April 4, 2014 an employee (Production Technician) was assigned to wear a powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) into an unknown concentration, instead of an atmosphere supplying respirator, at the tank farm after the accidental rupture of two tanks that resulted in the release of 36 percent hydrochloric acid into the tank farm.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.

Issued

Sep 10, 2014

Abate by

Sep 22, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(1)(ii): The employer did not ensure that each employee could demonstrate knowledge of the limitations and capabilities of the respirator:  (a) 181 Tank Farm:  On or about April 4, 2014 an employee (Production Technician) and plant management did not demonstrate proper knowledge on the limitations of air purifying respirators in that the employee was assigned by management to wear a powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) into an unknown atmosphere at the tank farm after the accidental rupture of two tanks that resulted in the release of 36 percent hydrochloric acid into the tank farm.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.

Issued

Sep 10, 2014

Abate by

Sep 22, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(e)(3)(vii): The process hazard analysis did not address a qualitative evaluation of a range of the possible safety and health effects of failure of controls on employees in the workplace.  (a) TPP Process - North Plant:  The employer's HAZ-OP study used as the initial Process Hazard Analysis did not include a range of the possible safety and health effects of each hazard scenario identified in the study as determined on or about May 6, 2014.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED.

Issued

Sep 10, 2014

Abate by

Sep 22, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(e)(5): The employer did not assure that PHA recommendations were resolved in a timely manner:  (a) TPP Process - North Plant:  On or about May 6, 2014 the employer's 2013 revalidation of the Process Hazard Analysis for the TPP Process had not resolved a recommendation to determine if the PCl3 unloading procedures should include rotation of use of the unloading pumps.  This recommendation was targeted to be complete by February 28, 2014 and was marked as closed.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED.