OSHA Inspection: SGL CARBON, LLC - SAINT MARYS

Issued

Sep 1, 2023

Abate by

Sep 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $6,831 · Current $4,782 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0640

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.)  SGL Carbon, LLC - Saint Mary's - On or about 3/6/23, and at times prior thereto, employees periodically conduct service maintenance and repairs on chlorine containing equipment.  The employer's safe work practices related to hazardous energy control of chlorine during servicing on valves did not require the involvement of all potentially exposed employees prior to initiating service.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED: Abatement certification is required within 10 days after the abatement date noted on the citation (see below).  This certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date abatement was completed, method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Sep 1, 2023

Abate by

Sep 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(d)(5)(i): All potentially hazardous stored or residual energy was not relieved, disconnected, restrained or otherwise rendered safe after the application of lockout or tagout devices to energy isolating devices:  a.)  SGL Carbon, LLC - Saint Mary's - On or about 3/6/23, and at times prior thereto, employees conducting maintenance service and repairs to a Flow Control Valve in the Control Room did not completely relieve chlorine from the system prior to initiating the work.  When the employee began the work, chlorine leaked from the system, setting off the alarm, which is activated at 10 ppm of chlorine in the air.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED: Abatement certification is required within 10 days after the abatement date noted on the citation (see below).  This certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date abatement was completed, method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Sep 1, 2023

Abate by

Sep 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0640

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(d)(6): Prior to starting work on machines or equipment that had been locked out or tagged out, the authorized employee did not verify that isolation and deenergization of the machine or equipment had been accomplished:   a.)  SGL Carbon, LLC - Saint Mary's - On or about 3/6/23, and at times prior thereto, employees conducting maintenance service and repairs to a Flow Control Valve in the Control Room did not verify the isolation and/or relief of chlorine from the system prior to initiating the work.  When the employee began the work, chlorine leaked from the system, setting off the alarm, which is activated at 10 ppm of chlorine in the air.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED: Abatement certification is required within 10 days after the abatement date noted on the citation (see below).  This certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date abatement was completed, method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Sep 1, 2023

Abate by

Sep 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(f)(3)(ii)(C): Overall Lockout Tagout coordination of the job was not assigned to one specific authorized employee for work being done by more than one crew, craft, department, etc., to ensure continuity of protection.   a.)  SGL Carbon, LLC - Saint Mary's - On or about 3/6/23, and at times prior thereto, the Mechanic employee initiating repairs to a Flow Control Valve in the Control Room and the Control Room employee responsible for purging chlorine from the repair area did not coordinate their responsibilities for deenergization prior to initiating work.  When mechanic employee began the work, chlorine leaked from the system, setting off the alarm, which is activated at 10 ppm of chlorine in the air.   ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED: Abatement certification is required within 10 days after the abatement date noted on the citation (see below).  This certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date abatement was completed, method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Sep 1, 2023

Abate by

Sep 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $6,831 · Current $4,782 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.165(d)(1):Employee alarm systems were not maintained in operating condition:  a.)  SGL Carbon, LLC - Saint Mary's - On or about 3/6/23, and at times prior thereto, an  evacuation alarm, that was triggered by a release in the chlorine system, was not functioning in the pallet shop.  The pallet shop employees were not aware of an evacuation that occurred on or about 3/6/23 when there was a release of chlorine,  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED: Abatement certification is required within 10 days after the abatement date noted on the citation (see below).  This certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date abatement was completed, method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.