OSHA Inspection: I SCHUMANN & CO. LLC

Issued

Aug 4, 2023

Abate by

Sep 21, 2023

Penalty

Initial $15,625 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1):  The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees in that employees were exposed to struck-by and burn hazards from rapidly expanding steam associated with water infiltration into molten metal;  On or about February 20, 2023, and at times prior, the employer failed to ensure employees were protected from the recognized hazard of steam explosions caused by the No. 3, No. 5, No. 6, and No. 7 Rotary Reverberatory Furnaces water jacket components leaking water into and contacting the liquid molten metal bath inside the furnaces, which could likely cause death or serious injury to employees. The employer allowed production to continue when known water leaks from the water jacket were entering the interior of the Rotary Reverberatory Furnaces. The employer required Furnace Operators and Furnace Assistants to rotate and pour the Rotary Reverberatory Furnaces while water was actively leaking from the water jackets into the liquid molten metal bath, causing or likely to cause a steam explosion from water becoming encapsulated in the liquid molten metal bath.

Issued

Aug 4, 2023

Abate by

Sep 21, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(d):Application of control. The established procedures for the application of energy control (the lockout or tagout procedures) shall cover the following elements and actions and shall be done in the following sequence:  On or about February 20, 2023, the employer failed to ensure maintenance employees performing service and maintenance activities on the No. 5 Rotary Reverberatory Furnace applied and followed the established energy control procedure by; turning off or shutting down the furnace electrical rotation drive motor [per 1910.147(d)(2)], isolating the furnace natural gas, oxygen gas, and electrical energy sources [(d)(3)], affixing lockout device(s) to the natural gas, oxygen gas, cooling water supply, and electrical energy isolation devices [(d)(4)(i)], relieving, restraining, or otherwise rendering safe the stored residual thermal (heat) energy of the furnace and molten metal bath [(d)(5)(i)], and verifying de-energization and isolation had been accomplished [(d)(6)], prior to performing the task of inspecting the furnace for water leaks.

Issued

Aug 4, 2023

Abate by

Sep 21, 2023

Penalty

Initial $15,625 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(4)(ii):The procedures shall clearly and specifically outline the scope, purpose, authorization, rules, and techniques to be utilized for the control of hazardous energy, and the means to enforce compliance including, but not limited to, the following:  On or about February 20, 2023, the employer failed to ensure the documented and developed energy control procedure for the No. 5 Rotary Reverberatory Furnace clearly and specifically outlined the scope, purpose, rules, and techniques for the intended use of the procedure to be utilized while authorized employees inspected the No. 5 Rotary Reverberatory Furnace [per 1910.147(c)(4)(ii)(A)] for water leaks.  The energy control procedure for the No. 5 Rotary Reverberatory Furnace failed to clearly identify the specific procedural steps to be followed by authorized employees performing the task of inspecting the furnace for water leaks for safe shutdown, isolating, blocking, and securing the electrical, water, and thermal (liquid molten metal bath) energy sources, to prevent the release of water from contacting the liquid molten metal bath (thermal energy) inside the furnace and causing a steam explosion [per 1910.147(c)(4)(ii)(B)].