OSHA Inspection: DIONISIO METAL AND IRON, INC.

Issued

2018-06-22 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-06-28 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $5174.00 · Current $3000.00 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 which were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that, employees were exposed to explosion, struck-by and burn hazards:    (a)  On April 23, 2018, an employee suffered thermal burns while in the process of restarting an Aramco A-50 Aluminum Sweat Furnace. During the furnace start-up process, the employee used lit cardboard to start the flame inside the furnace. The flame failed to start and the gas was not ventilated prior to the re-start attempt. The employee then used a lit newspaper to restart the flame and opened the door of the furnace which resulted in a gas explosion and burned the employee's hands, arms and face.        Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct these hazards would be to ensure that the Aramco A-50 Aluminum Sweat furnace is built and operated in accordance with NFPA Standard 86A-1969, Standard for Oven and Furnaces, in particular:         "550-2(a). To remove any possible accumulation of fuel leakage during shutdown, the oven and heater shall be preventilated before introducing an ignition source."        "550-2(b). A reliable ignition source shall be provided before the main burner fuel is supplied. It shall be kept in place until stable flame is obtained over the entire burner."