OSHA Inspection: PYROTECHNIC SPECIALTIES, INC.

Issued

Oct 5, 2016

Abate by

Nov 16, 2016

Penalty

Initial $11,224 · Current $12,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.109(b)(1): Explosives or blasting agents were stored, handled, and/or transported when such storage, handling, and transporting of  such explosives or blasting agents constituted an undue hazard to life:    Procedures/practices applied in the production of pyrotechnic materials and in the waste treatment of off-spec pyrotechnic materials constituted an undue hazard to life as identified in violation instances a through g.    a) Mix 2 Area, Building #90 - On or about 04/13/16 and at times prior thereto the employer did not develop, implement and apply grounding procedures for the processing of waste BKNO3.       c) Mix 2 Area, Building #90 - On or about 04/13/16 and at times prior thereto conductivity measurements at floors were not performed and documented.    d) Mix 2 Area, Bay #5 - On or about 04/13/16 and at times prior thereto regular tools (adjustable wrench) were allowed in service at the granulator for the BKNO3 process instead of non-sparking tools.    e) Mix 2 Area, Bay #4 - On or about 04/13/16 and at times prior thereto mirrors for distant observation of the screener process were loosely hanging from wires and were not safely secured to prevent accidental fall, friction, and impact as a source of ignition.    f) Mix 1 Area - Premix  - On or about 04/13/16 and at times prior thereto the two pedestal mixing drives were not anchored to the floor to prevent accidental tilt, fall, friction, and impact as a source of ignition.

Issued

Oct 5, 2016

Abate by

Apr 30, 2017

Penalty

Initial $11,224 · Current $12,000

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) Mix 2 Area - On or about May 1, 2016, the employer did not ensure that employees followed safe work practices as set forth in its Operating Sheet for the handling of off-spec/waste BKNO3.    In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET), and in addition, documentation demonstrating that abatement is complete must be included with your certification. This documentation may include, but is not limited to, evidence of the purchase or repair of the equipment, photographic or video evidence of abatement, or other written records.

Issued

Oct 5, 2016

Abate by

Nov 16, 2016

Penalty

Initial $11,224 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(g)(3): The employer did not ascertain that each employee involved in operating a process had received and understood the training required by this paragraph and the employer did not prepare a record which contained the identity of the employee, the date of training, and the means used to verify that the employee understood the training.    a) Mix 1 Area and Mix 2 Area - On or about 04/13/16 and at times prior thereto an employee was assigned to conduct  production operations and waste treatment operations for PSM-covered processes. The employer did not ensure that the employee received the necessary training, and the employer did not prepare a record identifying the employee, the date of the training,  and the means used to verify that the employee understood the training.    In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET), and in addition, documentation demonstrating that abatement is complete must be included with your certification. This documentation may include, but is not limited to, evidence of the purchase or repair of the equipment, photographic or video evidence of abatement, or other written records.

Issued

Oct 5, 2016

Abate by

Apr 30, 2017

Penalty

Initial $11,224 · Current $12,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(o)(2): The compliance audit was not conducted by at least one person knowledgeable in the process:    a) Mix 1 Area - On or about 04/13/16 and at times prior thereto the employer did not conduct a Process Safety Management (PSM) compliance audit for the processes at Mix 1.     b) Mix 2 Area - On or about 04/13/16 and at times prior thereto the employer did not conduct a Process Safety Management (PSM) compliance audit for the processes at Mix 2.     In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET), and in addition, documentation demonstrating that abatement is complete must be included with your certification. This documentation may include, but is not limited to, evidence of the purchase or repair of the equipment, photographic or video evidence of abatement, or other written records.

Issued

Oct 5, 2016

Abate by

Apr 30, 2017

Penalty

Initial $112,238 · Current $12,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(e)(1): The employer did not perform a process hazard analysis (hazard evaluation) on processes covered by 29 CFR 1910.119:    a) Mix 2 Area -  On or about 04/13/16 and at times prior thereto employees were assigned to work in the production process for BKNO3 (Building #95) and in the  treatment of off-spec BKNO3 (Building #90). The employer did not conduct a Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) to identify and address the hazards of the production and the treatment processes, exposing employees to overpressure shock hazards and thermal radiation skin burn hazards (deflagration/detonation).     In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET), and in addition, documentation demonstrating that abatement is complete must be included with your certification. This documentation may include, but is not limited to, evidence of the purchase or repair of the equipment, photographic or video evidence of abatement, or other written records.

Issued

Oct 5, 2016

Abate by

Oct 12, 2016

Penalty

Initial $8,017 · Current $8,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.39(a)(2): The employer failed to report the in-patient hospitalization of one or more employees or an employee's amputation or an employee's loss of an eye, as a result of a work-related incident, within (24) twenty-four hours:    a) Pyrotechnic Specialties, Inc. - On or about 04/12/16 an employee was hospitalized with severe burns after a deflagration during the processing of waste BKNO3 at Building #90. The employer failed to report the hospitalization within 24 hours, as the report was received by the OSHA Hotline at 18:34:00 on 04/13/16.    No abatement action is required for this item.