OSHA Inspection: CRYSTAL ICE COMPANY, INCORPORATED

Issued

Sep 27, 2018

Abate by

Nov 19, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,956 · Current $2,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(a)(3): Exit routes were not free and/or unobstructed by materials or equipment placed, either permanently or temporarily, within the exit route. Stairs or a ramp were not provided where the exit route was not substantially level:    Annex Building:    The fire exit route that led from the Ice Bin Room on the second floor to the ground level:    a) Was obstructed by miscellaneous items such as building material present on the condenser platform within the exit route.  b) Was not equipped with stairs or a ramp from the loading dock to the ground level.

Issued

Sep 27, 2018

Abate by

Aug 1, 2019

Penalty

Initial $3,696 · Current $2,700 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(d)(2)(i)(D): Information concerning the technology of the process did not include safe upper and lower limits for such items as temperatures, pressures, flows or compositions:    Establishment:    Employer's process safety information for the anhydrous ammonia refrigeration system did not include a written description of safe upper/lower operating limits for major components within the refrigeration system such as compressors, ammonia detection system and pressure vessels. Information included items such as equipment design limitations, process dynamic response, material limits in temperature and pressure that dictate required responses to alarms.

Issued

Sep 27, 2018

Abate by

Aug 1, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(d)(2)(i)(E): Process safety information pertaining to the technology of the process did not include an evaluation of the consequence of deviations, including those affecting the safety and health of employees:    Establishment:    Employer's process safety information for the anhydrous ammonia refrigeration system did not include an evaluation of consequences of deviating from safe upper and lower limits for such items as temperatures, pressures, flows or compositions including consequences affecting the safety and health of employees.

Issued

Sep 27, 2018

Abate by

Mar 31, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,174 · Current $3,800 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(d)(3)(ii): The employer did not document that process equipment complies with recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices (RAGAGEP):    Annex Building:    Employer did not document that the following ammonia refrigeration (process) equipment complied with RAGAGEP:    b. The emergency ammonia refrigeration system shutdown controls were not on separate electric circuits from the emergency shut-off button for the building in accordance with ANSI/ASHRAE 15 - 2007 edition, Section 8.12(i).   c. High pressure relief vent pipe did not extend above the roof line in accordance with ANSI/IIAR  2008 edition, 2 Section 11.3.6.4.  d. Doors to the Engine (Machine) Room were not tight-fitting with jambs or threshold seals to prevent ammonia refrigerant migration in accordance with ANSI/IIAR 2 - 2008 edition, Section 13.3.3.1 and ANSI/ASHRAE 15 - 2007 edition, Section 8.11.2.  e. Emergency ventilation exhaust air ducting for the Engine Room on the second floor was not designed to exclusively serve this machine room in accordance with ANSI/IIAR 2 - 2008 edition, Section 13.2.3.10 and ANSI/ASHRAE 15 - 2007 edition, Section 8.11.4. The exhaust air ducting for the Pump Package Room located on the first floor was also connected.    f. Eyewash and body shower were not located external to the Engine (Machine) Room and readily accessible via an exit in accordance with ANSI/IIAR 2 - 2008 edition, Section 13.3.1.4.

Issued

Sep 27, 2018

Abate by

Feb 1, 2019

Penalty

Initial $5,174 · Current $3,800 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(f)(4): 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:    Annex Building, Engine (Machine) Room:    Employer did not develop and implement safe work practices to provide control of hazards during operations such as lockout/ tagout, opening process equipment and control over entrance into a facility by outside contractors. On April 3, 2018, a contractor who was troubleshooting a hydraulic loading valve on a refrigeration compressor, inadvertently opened up the ammonia refrigeration side of the valve resulting in a leak of approximately 576 pounds of ammonia refrigerant. Airborne levels of ammonia refrigerant during the leak were measured as high as 13,000 parts per million (ppm).

Issued

Sep 27, 2018

Abate by

Feb 1, 2019

Penalty

Initial $3,696 · Current $2,700 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(g)(1)(i): Employer did not train each employee presently involved in operating a process, and/or before being involved in operating a newly assigned process, in an overview of the process and in the operating procedures as specified in paragraph (f) of this section. The training did not include emphasis on the specific safety and health hazards, emergency operations including shutdown, and safe work practices applicable to the employee's job tasks:    Annex Building:    Employees involved in operating a process were not trained in the operating procedures as specified in paragraph (f) as well as emergency operations including shutdown. On April 3, 2018, employees attempting to repair a hydraulic loading (slide) valve on a refrigeration compressor inadvertently opened up an ammonia refrigerant line causing a leak that resulted in airborne levels of ammonia refrigerant as high as 13,000 parts per million (ppm).  During the building evacuation and shutdown operations, an employee shut off the electrical power to the building and, thus, shutting down systems such as the emergency ventilation and ammonia detection systems.

Issued

Sep 27, 2018

Abate by

Mar 1, 2019

Penalty

Initial $2,217 · Current $1,600 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(j)(4)(iv): The employer did not document each inspection and test that was performed on process equipment wherein the documentation identified the date of the inspection or test, the name of the person who performed the inspection or test, the serial number or other identifier of the equipment on which the inspection or test was performed, a description of the inspection or test performed, and the results of the inspection or test:    Establishment:    Employer did not document inspections and testing of process equipment such as pressure vessels.

Issued

Sep 27, 2018

Abate by

Mar 31, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,174 · Current $3,800 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(j)(6)(i): In the new construction of plants and equipment, the employer did not assure that equipment as it was fabricated was suitable for the process application for which it was used:    Annex Building, Engine (Machine) Room:    The emergency ventilation system was not designed to meet applicable recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices (RAGAGEP) such as International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR) 2 - 2007 edition, Section 13.2.3.3 or American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning (ASHRAE) 15 -2007 edition to provide adequate emergency ventilation in the case of an ammonia refrigerant leak.     The employer's ventilation analysis calculated a minimum requirement of 14,675 cubic feet per minute (cfm) for emergency ventilation in the Engine Room. The exhaust fans installed could provide a maximum of 18,400 cfm. In accordance with IIAR 2 - 2007 edition, the emergency ventilation flow rate 53,444 cfm. This calculation accounted for volume of the Engine Room and would ensure that stagnant pockets of refrigerant vapors would not exist in accordance with ASHRAE 15 - 2007 edition, Foreword of document.    On or about April 3, 2018, an ammonia refrigerant leak occurred that resulted in airborne levels as high as 13,000 parts per million (ppm). The following day, April 4, 2018, there were airborne levels detected as high as 22 ppm.

Issued

Sep 27, 2018

Abate by

Feb 1, 2019

Penalty

Initial $2,956 · Current $2,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(l)(1): The employer did not establish and implement written procedures to manage changes  to process chemicals, technology, equipment, and procedures; and, changes to facilities that affect a covered process:     Establishment:    Employer's written procedures to manage changes relating to the installation of new condensers for the ammonia refrigeration system did not address changes including, but not limited to:    a) Updating employer's process safety information (PSI) required by paragraph (d) of this section when the replacement of condensers resulted in changes such as those in the piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&ID's) and new equipment data sheets.     b) Updating employer's operating procedures and practices such as preventative maintenance schedules for new equipment (identifying new or different parts and replacement schedules), operator training and evaluation of contractor's qualifications.

Issued

Sep 27, 2018

Abate by

Mar 1, 2019

Penalty

Initial $2,956 · Current $2,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(n): The employer's emergency action plan (EAP) did not include procedures for handling small releases:     Establishment:    Employer's Emergency Response Plan (ERP) did not include procedures for handling small ammonia refrigeration releases. Procedures included, but were not limited to, shut-down of production and process equipment and activation of emergency ventilation system for process equipment.