OSHA Inspection: POLYURETHANE SPECIALTIES COMPANY, INC.

Issued

Feb 20, 2019

Penalty

Initial $7,293 · Current $5,105 Reduced

Hazardous substances E200

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to fire, deflagration and explosion hazards from the ignition of adipic acid during pneumatic or physical transfer of the chemical:  a) Plant 1/Mezzanine Level: Employees work with Adipic Acid, a Class II explosive material with a Kst of 18.72 Bar Meters/second. Employees work indoors at or near a process where adipic acid is transferred into a mixing vessel, without means to ensure that all system components are conductive and bonded and grounded via continuity testing, on or about 9/19/18, 10/3/18, and 11/15/18.

Issued

Feb 20, 2019

Abate by

Apr 30, 2019

Penalty

Initial $7,293 · Current $5,105 Reduced

Hazardous substances E200

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1): All places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces were not kept in a clean condition:    a) Pre-Mix Vessel-Plant 1/Mezzanine Level: Employees were exposed to a fire, deflagration and explosion hazard due to accumulations of explosive (Kst= 18.72) adipic acid powder on top of the pre-mix vessels and reactors, overhead structural beams, electrical disconnect switch boxes and walking surfaces. The employer did not ensure that the work area was free of accumulations of explosive adipic acid powder, thus exposing employees to a fire, deflagration and explosion hazard, on or about 9/19/18 and 10/3/18.    b) Silo Located Outdoors: The inside mechanical area of a Schick silo was present with accumulations of explosive (Kst=) adipic acid powder on surfaces, including but not limited to, motors, and alongside the silo walls. The employer did not ensure that the work area was free of accumulations of explosive adipic acid powder, thus exposing employees to a fire, deflagration and explosion hazard, on or about 10/3/18.

Issued

Feb 20, 2019

Abate by

Mar 11, 2019

Penalty

Initial $10,210 · Current $7,147 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A): Authorized employee(s) did not receive training in the recognition of applicable hazardous energy sources, the type and magnitude of the energy available in the workplace, and the methods and means necessary for energy isolation:  a) Plant 1, Mezzanine (Pre-Mix Vessel): An employee engaged in troubleshooting of the pre-mix vessel had not completed initial training prior to an incident that resulted in an amputation injury. The employer did not provide authorized employees with training in the recognition of hazardous energy sources and the methods and means necessary for energy isolation, on or about 9/19/18, 10/3/18 and 11/15/18.

Issued

Feb 20, 2019

Abate by

Apr 30, 2019

Penalty

Initial $7,293 · Current $5,105 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.307(c): Equipment, wiring methods, and installations of equipment in hazardous (classified) locations were not intrinsically safe, approved for the hazardous (classified) location, or safe for the hazardous (classified) location:    a) Pre-mix (Mezzanine Area): Electrical outlet boxes, disconnect switch boxes, pedestal fan, and control panels located in a Class II, Division I location, were not intrinsically safe, approved for a Class II, Division I, location, or safe for a Class II, Division I, location, on or about 9/19/18, 10/3/18, and 11/15/18.    b) Silo Located Outdoors: Electrical motors and drive belts located in a Class II, Division I location, were not intrinsically safe, approved for a Class II, Division I, location, or safe for a Class II, Division I, location, on or about 11/15/18.

Issued

Feb 20, 2019

Abate by

Apr 30, 2019

Penalty

Initial $5,834 · Current $4,084 Reduced

Hazardous substances E200

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3)(ii): Employee training did not include the physical and health hazards of the chemicals in the work area:    a) Facility-Wide: Employees who work with hazardous chemicals and substances were not trained on the physical and health hazards associated with adipic acid, that is considered explosive and a Class II combustible dust, on or about 9/19/18, 10/3/18 and 11/15/18.

Issued

Feb 20, 2019

Abate by

Apr 30, 2019

Penalty

Initial $20,420 · Current $14,294 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i): Procedures were not developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees were engaged in activities covered by this section:    a) Plant 1, Mezzanine (Pre-Mix Vessel): The employer did not develop detailed site specific procedural steps for shutting down equipment, including but not limited to, pre-mix vessel agitator, agitator and the holding tank, prior to maintenance/servicing, to prevent unexpected release of stored energy, thus exposing employees to an amputation hazard, on or about 9/19/18.    Polyurethane Specialties Company, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 987067, citation number 1, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on 1/15/2015, with respect to a workplace located at 624 Schuyler Avenue, Lyndhurst, NJ 07071.