OSHA Inspection: MERIT ENERGY COMPANY

Issued

2024-08-12 00:00:00

Abate by

2024-09-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $16131.00 · Current $12098.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(c)(2):The employer did not inform exposed employees, by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means, of the existence and location of and the danger posed by the permit spaces:  On or about March 27, 2024, employees were exposed to health hazards of hydrocarbon gases and vapors.  The exposing company did not have signage on the gun barrel tank indicating it was a confined space to ensure employees did not enter without prior approval. The gun barrel tank was a permit-required confined space, but was not labeled or identified as permit-required space.

Issued

2024-08-12 00:00:00

Abate by

2024-09-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $16131.00 · Current $12098.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(c)(8)(i):When an employer arranged to have employees of another employer (contractor) perform work that involved permit space entry, the host employer did not inform the contractor that the workplace contained permit spaces and that permit space entry is allowed only through compliance with a permit space program meeting the requirements of this section;  On or about March 27, 2024, employees were exposed to health hazards of hydrocarbon gases and vapors from the oil storage tanks and the secondary gun barrel tank.  The exposing company did not inform the contractor that the workplace contained permit confined spaces and did not make the contractor aware of the requirement for their employees to enter into a permit confined space.

Issued

2024-08-12 00:00:00

Abate by

2024-09-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $16131.00 · Current $12098.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(d)(3)(iii):Under the permit-required confined space program required by 29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4), the employer did not develop and implement the means, procedures, and practices necessary for safe permit space entry operations.  On March 26-27, 2024, contractors managed by  Merit Energy, were  exposed to combustible hazards in that the gun barrel was not identified as a confined space and the contractors were not made aware that the location was a permit confined space prior to work being accomplished inside the tank after the portal cover was removed, and prior to entry into the gun barrel tank.