OSHA Inspection: AIR LIQUIDE ADVANCED MATERIALS, INC.

Issued

Nov 3, 2023

Abate by

Dec 1, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $8,203

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.119(d)(2)(i)(D): Process safety information pertaining to the technology of the process did not include the safe upper and lower limits for such items as temperatures, pressures, flows or compositions:  a)	  For the facility located at 17526 High Springs Main Street, High Springs, Florida:  On or about May 4, 2023, process safety information was incomplete; in that the documents provided did not properly include safe upper and lower limits for temperatures concerning vessels used in the process of synthesizing, purification, transfilling(mixing), etc. of Diborane and its mixtures.   The facility failed to stipulate temperature limits for the aluminum vessels and for the chemical(s) inside the vessel.   Employees working on and in the vicinity of equipment containing highly hazardous chemicals were exposed to fire, explosion, respiratory and contact hazards.

Issued

Nov 3, 2023

Abate by

Dec 1, 2023

Penalty

Initial $10,938 · Current $7,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.119(e)(3)(i):   The process hazard analysis did not address the hazards of the process:   a)     For the facility located at 17526 High Springs Main Street, High Springs, Florida: On or about May 4, 2023, the employer did not conduct a PHA that adequately addressed the issue of the hazards related to impure or contaminated materials that may be produced in mixing and reaction processes. Activities concerning vessels used in the process of synthesizing, purification, transfilling(mixing), etc. of Diborane and its mixtures may produce by-products that affect the stability of vessels when heated. Employees working on and in the vicinity of equipment containing highly hazardous chemicals are exposed to fire, explosion, respiratory and contact hazards.

Issued

Nov 3, 2023

Abate by

Dec 1, 2023

Penalty

Initial $10,938 · Current $8,203 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(e)(5): The employer shall establish a system to promptly address the team's findings and recommendations; assure that the recommendations are resolved in a timely manner and that the resolution is documented; document what actions are to be taken; complete actions as soon as possible; develop a written schedule of when these actions are to be completed; communicate the actions to operating, maintenance and other employees whose work assignments are in the process and who may be affected by the recommendations or actions.  a) For the facility located at 17526 High Springs Main Street, High Springs, Florida: On or about May 4, 2023, the employer failed to promptly address Process Hazard Analysis recommendations with respect to heating the cylinders in the diborane process, track resolutions of such recommendations as soon as possible and communicate the actions to operating employees who may be affected by the recommendations or actions. Employees working on and in the vicinity of equipment containing highly hazardous chemicals were exposed to fire, explosion, respiratory and contact hazards.

Issued

Nov 3, 2023

Abate by

Dec 1, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(e)(7): Employers shall retain process hazards analyses and updates or revalidations for each process covered by this section, as well as the documented resolution of recommendations described in paragraph (e)(5) of this section for the life of the process.  a) For the facility located at 17526 High Springs Main Street, High Springs, Florida: On or about May 4, 2023, the employer failed to retain and address Process Hazard Analysis recommendations with respect to heating the cylinders in the diborane process and track resolutions of such recommendations.

Issued

Nov 3, 2023

Abate by

Dec 1, 2023

Penalty

Initial $10,938 · Current $8,203 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.119(f)(1)(ii):   The employer's written operating procedures did not address the requirements for the operating limits related to temperatures of cylinders:  a)	  For the facility located at 17526 High Springs Main Street, High Springs, Florida:  On or about May 4, 2023, the employer's written operating procedures were incomplete; in that the documents provided did not properly include safe instructions for chemical transfer activities concerning vessel exposure to heat before, during and after the process of synthesizing, purification, transfilling(mixing), etc. of Diborane and its mixtures.   Employees working on and in the vicinity of equipment containing highly hazardous chemicals were exposed to fire, explosion, respiratory and contact hazards.

Issued

Nov 3, 2023

Abate by

Dec 1, 2023

Penalty

Initial $10,938 · Current $6,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(j)(6)(ii): Appropriate checks and inspections shall be performed to assure that equipment is installed properly and consistent with design specifications and the manufacturer?s instructions.  a) For the facility located at 17526 High Springs Main Street, High Springs, Florida: On or about May 4, 2023, the employer exposed employees to fire and explosion hazards in that the employer failed to require and complete inspections and checks to assure design and manufacturer?s specifications are met with equipment such as, but not limited to, non-rated electrical equipment used in the process of synthesizing, purification, transfilling (mixing), etc. of Diborane and its mixtures.

Issued

Nov 3, 2023

Abate by

Dec 1, 2023

Penalty

Initial $10,938 · Current $10,938

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.307(c)(2)(i):   Equipment in hazardous (classified) location(s) was not approved for the ignitable or combustible properties of the specific gas, vapor, dust, or fiber that was or could be present:    a)	On or about May 4, 2023, within the H-Space building number 3 in the Synthesis 1 Hood/Manifold, the employer exposed employees to fire and explosion hazards in that the employer required employees to use improperly rated equipment such as, but not limited to vacuum pumps within a Class I Division II Group B manifold/hood while synthesizing a flammable chemical.    b)	On or about May 4, 2023, within the H-Space building number 3 in the Synthesis 2 Hood/Manifold, the employer exposed employees to fire and explosion hazards in that the employer required employees to use improperly rated equipment such as, but not limited to vacuum pumps within a Class I Division II Group B manifold/hood while synthesizing a flammable chemical.    c)	On or about May 4, 2023, within the H-Space building number 3 in the Mixing 1 Hood/Manifold, the employer exposed employees to fire and explosion hazards in that the employer required employees to use improperly rated equipment such as, but not limited to vacuum pumps within a Class I Division II Group B manifold/hood while mixing/transfilling a flammable chemical.    d)	On or about May 4, 2023, within the H-Space building number 3 in the Mixing 2 Hood/Manifold, the employer exposed employees to fire and explosion hazards in that the employer required employees to use improperly rated equipment such as, but not limited to vacuum pumps within a Class I Division II Group B manifold/hood while mixing/transfilling a flammable chemical.   e)	On or about May 4, 2023, within the H-Space building number 3 in the Mixing 3 Hood/Manifold, the employer exposed employees to fire and explosion hazards in that the employer required employees to use improperly rated equipment such as, but not limited to vacuum pumps within a Class I Division II Group B manifold/hood while mixing/transfilling a flammable chemical.   f)	On or about May 4, 2023, within the H-Space building number 3 in the Purification Hood/Manifold, the employer exposed employees to fire and explosion hazards in that the employer required employees to use improperly rated equipment such as, but not limited to vacuum pumps within a Class I Division II Group B manifold/hood while purifying/distilling a flammable chemical.    g)	On or about May 4, 2023, within the H-Space building number 3 in the Cryotrap Hood/Manifold, the employer exposed employees to fire and explosion hazards in that the employer required employees to use improperly rated equipment such as, but not limited to vacuum pumps within a Class I Division II Group B manifold/hood while cryotrapping a flammable chemical.    h)	On or about May 4, 2023, within the H-Space building number 3 in the Quality Control Hood/Manifold, the employer exposed employees to fire and explosion hazards in that the employer required employees to use improperly rated equipment such as, but not limited to vacuum pumps within a Class I Division II Group B manifold/hood while checking quality of the products of a flammable chemical.

Issued

Nov 3, 2023

Abate by

Dec 1, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $10,938

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.119(d)(3)(ii):   The employer did not document that equipment complies with recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices.  a)      For the facility located at 17526 High Springs Main Street, High Springs, Florida: On or about May 4, 2023, the employer exposed employees to fire, contact and explosion hazards in that the employer required and failed to document that equipment such as, but not limited to, heat guns used in the process of synthesizing, purification, transfilling(mixing), etc. of Diborane and its mixtures complied with recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices as identified in the equipment's manufacturer's manual.

Issued

Nov 3, 2023

Abate by

Dec 1, 2023

Penalty

Initial $125,007 · Current $75,000 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)	On or about May 4, 2023, within the H-Space building number 3 in the Synthesis 1 Hood/Manifold, the employer exposed employees to fire and explosion hazards in that the employer required employees to use equipment such as, but not limited to, heat guns that were not intrinsically safe or designed to be used within a Class I Division II Group B manifold/hood where flammable chemicals and vapors are present while synthesizing Diborane.    b)	On or about May 4, 2023, within the H-Space building number 3 in the Synthesis 2 Hood/Manifold, the employer exposed employees to fire and explosion hazards in that the employer required employees to use equipment such as, but not limited to, heat guns that were not intrinsically safe or designed to be used within a Class I Division II Group B manifold/hood where flammable chemicals and vapors are present while synthesizing Diborane.    c)	On or about May 4, 2023, within the H-Space building number 3 in the Mixing 1 Hood/Manifold, the employer exposed employees to fire and explosion hazards in that the employer required employees to use equipment such as, but not limited to, heat guns that were not intrinsically safe or designed to be used within a Class I Division II Group B manifold/hood where flammable chemicals and vapors are present while mixing/transfilling Diborane and its mixtures.   d)	On or about May 4, 2023, within the H-Space building number 3 in the Mixing 2 Hood/Manifold, the employer exposed employees to fire and explosion hazards in that the employer required employees to use equipment such as, but not limited to, heat guns that were not intrinsically safe or designed to be used within a Class I Division II Group B manifold/hood where flammable chemicals and vapors are present while mixing/transfilling Diborane and its mixtures.    e)	On or about May 4, 2023, within the H-Space building number 3 in the Mixing 3 Hood/Manifold, the employer exposed employees to fire and explosion hazards in that the employer required employees to use equipment such as, but not limited to, heat guns that were not intrinsically safe or designed to be used within a Class I Division II Group B manifold/hood where flammable chemicals and vapors are present while mixing/transfilling Diborane and its mixtures.   f)	On or about May 4, 2023, within the H-Space building number 3 in the Purification Hood/Manifold, the employer exposed employees to fire and explosion hazards in that the employer required employees to use equipment such as, but not limited to, heat guns that were not intrinsically safe or designed to be used within a Class I Division II Group B manifold/hood where flammable chemicals and vapors are present while purifying/distilling Diborane.    g)	On or about May 4, 2023, within the H-Space building number 3 in the Cryotrap Hood/Manifold, the employer exposed employees to fire and explosion hazards in that the employer required employees to use equipment such as, but not limited to, heat guns that were not intrinsically safe or designed to be used within a Class I Division II Group B manifold/hood where flammable chemicals and vapors are present while cryotrapping flammable chemicals.    h)	On or about May 4, 2023, within the H-Space building number 3 in the Quality Control Hood/Manifold, the employer exposed employees to fire and explosion hazards in that the employer required employees to use equipment such as, but not limited to, heat guns that were not intrinsically safe or designed to be used within a Class I Division II Group B manifold/hood where flammable chemicals and vapors are present while checking quality of  flammable chemicals.