OSHA Inspection: FIREWORKS PARTNERS INC. DBA MAD BOMBER

Issued

1997-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

1998-01-05 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3500.00 · Current $1000.00 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 were free from
recognized hazards
that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to
employees in that
employees were exposed to the hazards of being burned due to the premature
ignition of
pyrotechnic shells:
At the fireworks barge #D930687, on or about 07-03-97, five employees were
exposed to the
hazards of being burned due to the premature ignition of three-inch
through six-inch
pyrotechnic shells.  The wooden "ready box" containing these pyrotechnic
shells was not
equipped with a self-closing lid.
One method of abatement to correct this apparent hazard is to equip each
"ready box" with a
self-closing lid as required by NFPA 1123, paragraph 2-2.4.1.
DISCLAIMER:
a)  The employer is not limited to the abatement method(s) suggested by
OSHA.
b)  The employer is responsible for selecting and implementing an
effective abatement
method.
***THIS ITEM REQUIRES A WRITTEN CERTIFICATION OF ABATEMENT***

Issued

1997-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

1998-01-05 00:00:00

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 were free from
recognized hazards
that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to
employees in that
employees were exposed to the hazards of being burned due to the premature
ignition of
pyrotechnic shells:
At the fireworks barge #D930687, on or about 07-03-97, five employees were
exposed to the
hazards of being burned due to the premature ignition of three-inch,
four-inch, and eight-inch
pyrotechnic shells.  The three-inch and four-inch shells were contained in
three cardboard
boxes.  These boxes were placed along the interior portion of the coaming
on the upper port
side adjacent to the wooden "ready box" prior to and during the fireworks
display.  The two
cardboard boxes containing the eight-inch shells were placed along the
exterior portion of the
coaming facing the unguarded prow of the barge.  These boxes were adjacent
to the three 55-
gallon plastic drums containing mortars of comparable size.  A defective
eight-inch shell
landed in-between the "ready box", the three-inch through six-inch mortar
batteries, and the
cardboard boxes causing a conflaguration in which one employee was burned
to death.
One method of abatement to correct this apparent hazard is to place all
pyrotechnic shells
into the "ready box" prior to the fireworks display as required by NFPA
1123, paragraph 2-
2.4.2.
DISCLAIMER:
a)  The employer is not limited to the abatement method(s) suggested by
OSHA.
b)  The employer is responsible for selecting and implementing an
effective abatement
method.
***THIS ITEM REQUIRES A WRITTEN CERTIFICATION OF ABATEMENT***

Issued

1997-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

1998-01-05 00:00:00

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 were free from
recognized hazards
that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to
employees in that
employees were exposed to the hazards of being burned due to the ignition
of pyrotechnic
shells:
At the fireworks barge #D930687, on or about 07-03-97, five employees were
exposed to the
hazards of being burned due to the ignition of eight-inch pyrotechnic
shells from improperly
spaced mortars of comparable size.  One employee was using a road flare to
manually
discharge shells from mortars contained in three plastic 55-gallon drums.
Each drum
possessed a 22-inch diameter and contained three mortars apiece.  Seven
eight-inch and two
ten-inch mortars were held in the upright position by the three plastic
55-gallon drums.
These mortar tubes were not separated from one another by a distance of at
least equal to
their diameter.  The hazard of mortar displacement existed.
One method of abatement to correct this apparent hazard is to arrange the
individual mortar
tubes so that they are separated from one another by a distance of at
least equal to their
diameter as required by NFPA 1123, paragraph 2-3.3.3.
DISCLAIMER:
a)  The employer is not limited to the abatement method(s) suggested by
OSHA.
b)  The employer is responsible for selecting and implementing an
effective abatement
method.
***THIS ITEM REQUIRES A WRITTEN CERTIFICATION OF ABATEMENT***

Issued

1997-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

1998-01-05 00:00:00

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 were free from
recognized hazards
that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to
employees in that
employees were exposed to the hazards of being burned due to the ignition
of pyrotechnic
shells:
At the fireworks barge #D930687, on or about 07-03-97, five employees were
exposed to the
hazards of being burned due to the unexpected detonation of eight-inch
pyrotechnic
shells
from improperly separated mortars of comparable size.  One employee was
using a road
flare to manually discharge shells from mortars contained in three plastic
55-gallon drums.
Each drum possessed a 22-inch diameter and contained three mortars apiece.
Seven eight-
inch mortars and two ten-inch mortars were held in the upright position by
the three plastic
55-gallon drums.  These mortar tubes were not separated from the drum
walls by a minimum
of five inches.  The hazards of mortar displacement and lack of protection
to guard against a
premature shell detonation inside the tube existed.
One method of abatement to correct these apparent hazards is to arrange
the individual
mortar tubes so that they are separated from the drum walls by a minimum
of five inches
as required by NFPA 1123, paragraph 2-3.3.3.2.
DISCLAIMER:
a)  The employer is not limited to the abatement method(s) suggested by
OSHA.
b)  The employer is responsible for selecting and implementing an
effective abatement
method.
***THIS ITEM REQUIRES A WRITTEN CERTIFICATION OF ABATEMENT***

Issued

1997-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

1998-01-09 00:00:00

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 were free from
recognized hazards
that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to
employees in that
employees were exposed to the hazards of being burned due to the premature
ignition of
pyrotechnic shells.
At the fireworks barge #D930687, on or about 07-03-97, five employees were
exposed to the
hazards of being burned due to the ignition of three-inch through
eight-inch pyrotechnic
shells due to their lack of knowledge or application of industry-wide safe
work practices in
the preparation and execution of a fireworks display.  The employees were
not trained in the
applicable portions of the 1995 edition of NFPA 1123, Code for Fireworks
Display.
One method of abatement to correct this apparent hazard is to include
these industry-wide
safe work practices into already established safety and health programs
and then conduct the
necessary training until the desired proficiency level has been reached as
required by NFPA
1123, paragraph 4-1.3.2.
DISCLAIMER:
a)  The employer is not limited to the abatement method(s) suggested by
OSHA.
b)  The employer is responsible for selecting and implementing an
effective abatement
method.
***THIS ITEM REQUIRES A WRITTEN CERTIFICATION OF ABATEMENT***

Issued

1997-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

1998-01-05 00:00:00

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 were free from
recognized hazards
that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to
employees in that
employees were exposed to the hazards of being burned due to the ignition
of pyrotechnic
shells:
At the fireworks barge #D930687, on or about 07-03-97, one employee was
exposed to the
hazards of being burned due to the ignition of three-inch through six-inch
pyrotechnic shells
because of his inability to vacate the area due to the initial placement
of the "ready box" and
three cardboard boxes containing three-inch and four-inch shells
approximately four feet
away.  This employee repeatedly lit the fuses with a road flare, turned,
and
crouched at the
base of each mortar fired.  This employee was showered with sparks and
burning debris
following the mortar's discharge.
One method of abatement to correct this apparent hazard is to instruct
each employee in the
proper firing of shells, to ensure that the procedure is followed, and to
allow for a sufficient
amount of space during the set-up of the fireworks display, as required by
NFPA 1123,
paragraph 4-2.6.
DISCLAIMER:
a)  The employer is not limited to the abatement method(s) suggested by
OSHA.
b)  The employer is responsible for selecting and implementing an
effective abatement
method.
***THIS ITEM REQUIRES A WRITTEN CERTIFICATION OF ABATEMENT***

Issued

1997-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

1998-01-05 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3500.00 · Current $1000.00 Reduced

Issued

1997-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

1998-01-05 00:00:00

Issued

1997-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

1998-01-05 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $49000.00 · Current $35000.00 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 were free from
recognized hazards
that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to
employees in that
employees were exposed to the hazards of being burned due to the premature
ignition of
pyrotechnic shells:
At the fireworks barge #D930687, on or about 07-03-97, five employees were
exposed to the
hazards of being burned due to the premature ignition of three-inch
through six-inch
pyrotechnic shells.  The wooden "ready box" containing these pyrotechnic
shells was
approximately four feet away initially from mortar batteries of comparable
caliber located
along the upper starboard side.  These mortars were being discharged by an
employee
through the use of a road flare.  A defective eight-inch shell landed in
between the "ready
box" and the three-inch through six-inch mortar batteries causing a
conflaguration in which
one employee was burned to death.
One method of abatement to correct this apparent hazard is to move the
"ready box" away
from all operational mortar batteries a minimum of 25 feet as required by
NFPA 1123,
paragraph 2-2.4.3.
DISCLAIMER:
a)  The employer is not limited to the abatement method(s) suggested by
OSHA.
b)  The employer is responsible for selecting and implementing an
effective abatement
method.
***THIS ITEM REQUIRES A WRITTEN CERTIFICATION OF ABATEMENT***

Issued

1997-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

1998-01-05 00:00:00

General-duty citation text

Section 59A)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not
furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from
recognized hazards
that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to
employees in that
employees were exposed to the hazards of being burned due to the ignition
of pyrotechnic
shells.
At the fireworks barge #D930687, on or about 07-03-97, five employees were
exposed to the
hazards of being burned due to the ignition of three-inch through six-inch
pyrotechnic shells
without the presence of suitable protection.  One employee was using a
road flare to
manually discharge mortars of comparable caliber along the upper starboard
side of the
barge.  The four other employees were working in the immediate area.  A
suitable barrier
between the shooter, employees, and the mortars was not provided.  A
barrier did not exist
around the individual mortar batteries.
One method of abatement to correct this apparent hazard is to erect
barriers
composed of
sand bags or other suitable materials between the shooter and the mortars
as required by
NFPA 1123, paragraph 2-3.4.
DISCLAIMER:
a)  The employer is not limited to the abatement method(s) suggested by
OSHA.
b)  The employer is responsible for selecting and implementing an
effective abatement
method.
***THIS ITEM REQUIRES A WRITTEN CERTIFICATION OF ABATEMENT***

Issued

1997-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

1998-01-05 00:00:00

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 were free from
recognized hazards
that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to
employees in that
employees were exposed to the hazards of being burned due to the ignition
of
pyrotechnic
shells.
At the fireworks barge #D930687, on or about 07-03-97, one employee was
exposed to the
hazards of being burned due to the actual discharge of three-eight-inch
pyrotechnic shells
with a road flare without using electronic ignition and maintaining a
minimum distance of 75
feet.  The fireworks display was to include a total of seven eight-inch
mortars.
One method of abatement to correct this apparent hazard is to arrange for
any mortar six
inches or greater in diameter to be fired off electronically while
maintaining a 75 foot
minimum distance as required by NFPA 1123, paragraph 4-2.9.2.
DISCLAIMER:
a)  The employer is not limited to the abatement method(s) suggested by
OSHA.
b)  The employer is responsible for selecting and implementing an
effective abatement
method.
***THIS ITEM REQUIRES A WRITTEN CERTIFICATION OF ABATEMENT***

Issued

1997-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

1998-01-05 00:00:00

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 were free from
recognized hazards
that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to
employees in that
employees were exposed to the hazards of being burned due to the ignition
of pyrotechnic
shells.
At the fireworks barge #D930687, on or about 07-03-97, one employee was
exposed to the
hazards of being burned due to the ignition of four and five-inch
pyrotechnic shells without
maintaining a minimum distance of 75 feet.  This employee was igniting the
shells
electronically from approximately ten feet away.  Suitable barriers were
not in use.
One method of abatement to correct this apparent hazard is to arrange for
any mortar to be a
minimum of 75 feet away from any employee if it is to be fired off
electronically as required
by NFPA 1123, paragraph 5-1.3.
DISCLAIMER:
a)  The employer is not limited to the abatement method(s) suggested by
OSHA.
b)  The employer is responsible for selecting and implementing an
effective abatement
method.
***THIS ITEM REQUIRES A WRITTEN CERTIFICATION OF ABATEMENT***

Issued

1997-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

1998-01-05 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $49000.00 · Current $1000.00 Reduced

Issued

1997-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

1998-01-05 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $49000.00 · Current $1000.00 Reduced

Issued

1997-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

1998-01-05 00:00:00