OSHA Inspection: EQUISTAR CHEMICALS, LP

Issued

2021-02-22 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $13653.00 · Current $10000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.119(f)(4): The employer did not  implement safe work practices to provide for the control of hazards during operations such as lockout/tagout; opening process equipment or piping; and control over entrance into a facility by maintenance, contractor, laboratory, or other support personnel:  a) Equistar Chemicals LP- Edison, New Jersey- Hexane distillation process: Following the observation of a leak that indicated the presence of Titanium Tetrachloride and Hexane, contractor employees were directed by the employer to perform a line entry to remove Thermowell TW-201/4 on Hexane Purification Column 6C-201 and replace it with a blind flange.  The employer failed to implement their safe work practice for opening process equipment or piping (HS-206 Line Entry Procedure) when the contract employees performed the line entry without the use of Air Supplied Respirators, resulting in an unknown exposure to process chemicals when an uncontrolled release occurred.   Hazard occurred on or about August 23, 2020.

Issued

2021-02-22 00:00:00

Abate by

2021-06-22 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $13653.00 · Current $10000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.120(q)(1):The employer did not develop and implement an emergency response plan to handle anticipated emergencies prior to commencement of emergency response operations:  Equistar Chemicals LP- Edison, NJ- Hexane distillation Process:  a) When an uncontrolled release of process chemicals occurred during a maintenance activity, the employer failed to implement their Emergency Response Plan, including established evacuation procedures that addressed personnel accountability during an emergency.  b) The employer failed to implement their Emergency Response Plan, including procedures to be followed by employees performing assigned tasks during an emergency. Employees that were members of the Emergency Response Team responded to an uncontrolled release of Titanium Tetrachloride and Hydrochloric Acid from process equipment without the use of Supplied Air Respirators, the level of Respiratory Protection specified in the employer's Emergency Response Plan for when these chemicals are present, exposing them to hazardous levels of process chemicals.  c) Employees that are members of the employer's Emergency Response Team responded to an uncontrolled release of Titanium Tetrachloride, which is an inhalation hazard. The employer did not ensure that all the responding employees wore positive pressure self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), when a determination, such as through the use of air monitoring, indicating that it was safe to use a lower level of respiratory protection had not been performed, exposing these employees to inhalation hazards.  Hazard occurred on or about August 23, 2020.