OSHA Inspection: KAZMIRA LLC

Issued

Jul 12, 2019

Abate by

Jan 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,304 · Current $4,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.106(h)(4)(iv)(a): Equipment was not designed and arranged to prevent the unintentional escape of liquids and vapors and to minimize the quantity escaping in the event of accidental release:    a)  Secondary Distallation Rooms, Kazmira LLC, Watkins CO:  On or about March 29, 2019, and at times prior, employees were potentially exposed to fire hazards due to the unintentional escape of solvent vapors, including but not limited to hexane.  Employees are transferring heptane and hexane fluids from a 55 gallon steel drum to the rotary evaporators in Room 6.  The lid to the drum is partially open during the transfer process, resulting in the release of hexane vapors into the room.      b)  Extraction Room, Kazmira LLC, Watkins CO: On or about March 29, 2019, and at times prior, employees were potentially exposed to fire hazards due to the unintentional escape of solvent vapors such as ethanol.  Employees are transferring ethanol mixtures between IBC containers.  During the transfer process, the container being transferred to has an open port where ethanol vapors may escape.      Abatement Note: Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (see enclosed Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet).

Issued

Jul 12, 2019

Abate by

Jan 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0040106013711380

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.106(h)(7)(i)(a): Precautions were not taken to prevent the ignition of flammable vapors. Sources of ignition include but are not limited to open flames; lightning; smoking; cutting and welding; hot surfaces; frictional heat; static, electrical, and mechanical sparks; spontaneous ignition, including heat-producing chemical reactions; and radiant heat:    a)  Production Area Rooms 1-4, Kazmira LLC, Watkins CO:  On or about March 29, 2019, and at times prior, employees were potentially exposed to fire hazards due to the lack of preventing the ignition of flammable vapors.  Employees working in the extraction room are using gravity to transfer material containing ethanol from one IBC container to another.  The employer did not ensure that precautions were taken to prevent the ignition of flammable vapors, including but not limited to, requiring the use of conductive tubing throughout the facility, requiring use of non-sparking equipment such as EE or EX designated forklifts, grounding IBC containers, and bonding IBC containers during transfer of liquid between containers.    b) Secondary Distillation Rooms 5-6, Kazmira LLC, Watkins CO: On or about March 29, 2019, and at times prior, employees working in the secondary distillation rooms are using 55 gallon drums of solvents, including but not limited to, hexane, heptane, and acetone.  The employer did not ensure that precautions were taken to prevent the ignition of flammable vapors, including but not limited to, mechanical sparks generated by the vapor suppression curtain or bonding equipment during liquid transfer.    Abatement Note:  Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (see enclosed Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet).

Issued

Jul 12, 2019

Abate by

Jul 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $4,546 · Current $3,600 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0040106013711380

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(a): Protective equipment was not used when necessary whenever hazards capable of causing injury and impairment were encountered:    (a) Kazmira LLC, Watkins CO:  On or about March 29, 2019, and at times prior, employees were potentially exposed to skin contact with chemicals such as hexane that are known skin irritants.  Employees in the production area are working next to 55 gallon steel drums containing hexane and plant matter.  Employees are required to wear wrist-length nitrile rubber gloves, but may wear short-sleeved shirts while exposed to skin irritants including but not limited to ethanol, heptane, or hexane vapors.      (b)  Kazmira LLC, Watkins CO:  On or about March 29, 2019, and at times prior, employees were potentially exposed to burn hazards while working in areas where flammable vapors may ignite.  Employees are not required to wear flame-resistant clothing when performing work tasks in areas where flammable vapors may be released.    Abatement Note: Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (see enclosed Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet).

Issued

Jul 12, 2019

Abate by

Sep 30, 2019

Penalty

Initial $3,789 · Current $3,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(c)(2)(iv):     Power-operated industrial trucks designated as DY, EE, or EX were not used in locations where volatile flammable liquids or flammable gases were handled, processed or used, but in which the hazardous liquids, vapors or gases would normally be confined within closed containers or closed systems from which they could escape only in case of accidental rupture or breakdown of such containers or systems, or in the case of abnormal operation of equipment; also in locations in which hazardous concentrations of gases or vapors are normally prevented by positive mechanical ventilation but which might become hazardous through failure or abnormal operation of the ventilating equipment; or in locations which are adjacent to Class I, Division 1 locations, and to which hazardous concentrations of gases or vapors might occasionally be communicated unless such communication is prevented by adequate positive-pressure ventilation from a source of clear air, and effective safeguards against ventilation failure are provided:    a) Production Area, Kazmira, LLC, Watkins CO: On or about March 29, 2019, and at times prior, employees were exposed to fire and explosion hazards while operating a forklift to move IBC containers containing ethanol mixtures.  The forklift used (Yale Model ERC050GHN36TE088, S/N A908N04725D) is designated as 'E' and is operated in environments where ethanol vapors may exist due to open containers of ethanol releasing vapors during forklift operation.    Abatement Note: Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (see enclosed Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet).

Issued

Jul 12, 2019

Abate by

Jan 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.307(c)(2)(I): 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.  Neither was the equipment approved for the class of location and for the ignitable or combustible properties of the specific gas, vapor, dust or fiber that would be present:    a)  Kazmira Production Area, Bldg 66, Kazmira LLC, Watkins CO: On or about March 29, 2019, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that equipment used in areas designated as hazardous locations were approved for the hazardous location.  Equipment such as the Welch air compressors (including but not limited to Welch Model 2052B-01), rotary evaporators, or other equipment are operating in areas where flammable vapors are being released.    Abatement Note:  Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

Jul 12, 2019

Abate by

Jul 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.242(b): Compressed air used for cleaning purposes was not reduced to less than 30 p.s.i.:  (a) Kazmira LLC, Watkins CO:  On or about May 8, and at times prior, employees were potentially exposed to struck by or laceration hazards due to use of compressed air at pressures greater than 30 pounds per square inch (psi) when cleaning.  Employees are provided access to permanently installed compressed air lines pressurized to 120 psi which were not supplied with relief valves to prevent injury should contact with skin occur.  Employees use the compressed air lines to clean and dry equipment used in the production process.  Abatement Note: Abatement certification is required for this item (see enclosed Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet).

Issued

Jul 12, 2019

Abate by

Jul 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.41(a)(2): Annual electronic submission of OSHA Form 300A Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses by establishments with 20 or more employees but fewer than 250 employees in designated industries. The establishment had 20 or more employees but fewer than 250 employees at some time during the previous calendar year, and the establishment was classified in an industry listed in appendix A to subpart E of this part, but did not electronically submit information from OSHA Form 300A Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses to OSHA or OSHA's designee. The employer did not submit the information once a year, no later than the date listed in paragraph (c) of this section of the year after the calendar year covered by the form:  a) Kazmira LLC, Watkins CO: On or about March 29, 2019, and times prior thereto, the employer failed during calendar year 2018, to electronically submit information from the OSHA Form 300A or equivalent by 03/02/2019. The establishment employed approximately 22 employees and was classified in NAICS 325412, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, during calendar year 2018.  Abatement Note: Abatement certification is required for this item.