OSHA Inspection: GEORGE EDWIN BALIS

Issued

Jun 17, 2016

Abate by

Jul 7, 2016

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $3,850 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 were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm in that employees were exposed to fire and explosion hazards while conducting manual tank gauging of a natural gas separator tank:    (a) Nickoles Well #1:  On December 17, 2015 and times prior, employees were potentially exposed to fire and explosion hazards due to elevated hydrocarbon levels when performing manual tank gauging operations.

Issued

Jun 17, 2016

Abate by

Jun 29, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,540 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(a): Protective equipment, including personal protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices, and protective shields and barriers, was not provided and used when necessary whenever hazards capable of causing injury and impairment were encountered:    (a) Nickoles Well #1:  On December 17, 2015 and times prior, the employer did not provide and require the use of flame resistant clothing for employees conducting well tending operations including manual gauging a separator tank and monitoring pressure on a natural gas well.

Issued

Jun 17, 2016

Abate by

Jun 29, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.133(a)(1): Protective eye and face equipment was not required where there was a reasonable probability of injury that could be prevented by such equipment:     (a)  Nickoles Well #1:  On December 17, 2015 and times prior, the employer did not ensure that employees wore eye and face protection while gauging a separator tank to protect them from splashing of liquid natural gas condensate and crude oils.

Issued

Jun 17, 2016

Abate by

Jun 29, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1): The employer did not assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE):  (a)  Nickoles Well #1:  On December 17, 2016 and times prior, the employer did not conduct a personal protective equipment assessment to determine the type of personal protective equipment required during the manual gauging of 210 bbl separator tank containing natural gas condensate and oils coming from the well after nitrogen fracking.

Issued

Jun 17, 2016

Abate by

Jul 7, 2016

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $3,850 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(1)(iii): The employer did not identify and evaluate the respiratory hazard(s) in the workplace; including a reasonable estimate of employee exposures to respiratory hazards and identification of the contaminant's chemical state and physical form:    (a) Nickoles Well #1:  On December 17, 2015 and times prior, the employer did not identify and evaluate the respiratory hazards to employees conducting manual separator tank gauging when employees were potentially exposed to hydrocarbons and/or oxygen deficient atmospheres.

Issued

Jun 17, 2016

Abate by

Jul 7, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,540 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(2): The employer did not inform exposed employees, by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means, of the existence and location of and the danger posed by the permit spaces:    (a)  Nickoles Well #1:  On December 17, 2015 and times prior, employees accessed an elevated platform to determine the liquid/oil level in a 210 barrel separator tank that had a 14 inch diameter hatch.  The 210 barrel tank did not have a sign or other equally effective means to warn employees of the hazards.    Abatement Note: A sign reading DANGER-PERMIT-REQUIRED CONFINED SPACE, DO NOT ENTER or using other similar language would satisfy the requirement for a sign.

Issued

Jun 17, 2016

Abate by

Jul 14, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,540 Reduced

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) Nickoles Well #1:  On December 17, 2015 and times prior, employees were exposed to nitrogen, natural gas and natural gas condensates during the manual gauging of a natural gas separator tank.  The employer has not developed or implemented a written hazard communication program.        ABATEMENT NOTE:  A written program shall include a description of how the criteria for the following will be met:   1.        Labeling and other forms of warnings;   2.        Safety Data Sheets;   3.        Employee information and training.        Additionally, a list of hazardous chemicals known to be present in the workplace must be compiled.  Methods used to inform employees of the hazards associated with non-routine tasks and the informing of contractors of workplace hazards, including a description of the labeling system used in the facility and the availability of safety data sheets must also be addressed.  The written program must be made available upon request.

Issued

Jun 17, 2016

Abate by

Jul 14, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(6)(ii): Except as provided in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(7) and 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(8), the employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged or marked with the product identifier and words, pictures, symbols, or combination thereof, which provide at least general information regarding the hazards of the chemicals and which, in conjunction with the other information immediately available to employees under the hazard communication program, would provide employees with the specific information regarding the physical and health hazards of the hazardous chemical:  (a)  Nickoles Well #1:  On December 17, 2015 and times prior, the employer did not ensure that a 210 barrel  capacity above ground separator tank containing natural gas condensates, natural gas, and nitrogen was labeled to identify the products and the hazards of the chemicals.

Issued

Jun 17, 2016

Abate by

Jul 14, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8):   The employer did not maintain in the workplace copies of the required safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical, and did not ensure that they were readily accessible during each work  shift to employees when they were in their work area(s):  (a) Nickoles Well #1:  On December 17, 2015 and times prior, employees were exposed to nitrogen, natural gas and natural gas condensates during the manual gauging of a natural gas separator tank.  The employer did not maintain copies of the required safety data sheets for each product

Issued

Jun 17, 2016

Abate by

Jul 14, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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) Nickoles Well #1:  On December 17, 2015 and times prior, employees were exposed to nitrogen, natural gas and natural gas condensates during the manual gauging of a natural gas separator tank.  The employer has not provided employees with information and training on the hazards of the chemicals.