Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard:

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 likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to oxygen explosion and fire hazards associated with servicing operations related to filling cylinders with oxygen that involved a compressed gas system that included an oxygen intensifier that was not designed (and maintained) to prevent or minimize potential explosion and fire events associated with the oxygen service equipment. a. On or about and prior to September 17, 2019, at the International Gateway, Columbus, Ohio workplace, the employer did not ensure that employees were protected from oxygen explosion and fire hazards during oxygen cylinder servicing activities. Employees were exposed to oxygen explosion and fire hazards during the use of a compressed gas system that involved a Futurecraft oxygen-service automatic pressure intensifier for transfilling of portable and aircraft mounted oxygen cylinders. The compressed gas system used was not evaluated for safe use and design, was not properly maintained and had not been cleaned for oxygen service prior to initial (and continued) use. Written operating procedures for the safe use, maintenance and inspection of the system had not been provided or developed for employee use. On September 17, 2019, an oxygen explosion occurred during the servicing of a customers portable oxygen cylinder that involved this compressed gas system. Among other methods, a feasible abatement method to correct the hazards would be to comply with the Compressed Gas Association (CGA) Standard G-4 , Oxygen, Eleventh Edition 2015, in accordance with section 9 and require design, construction and commissioning of oxygen systems under the supervision of qualified engineers, as well as requiring the cleaning and inspection of oxygen systems prior to use; to comply with CGA Standard P-2.5, Transfilling of High Pressure Gaseous Oxygen Used For Respiration, Fifth Edition 2007, section 5.2 Transfilling system materials and oxygen compatibility which requires all components of the transfilling system to be cleaned for oxygen service according to CGA Standard 4.1; to comply with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 55, Compressed Gases and Cryogenic Fluids Code, 2020 edition, section 7.1.18 Cleaning and Purging of Gas Piping Systems which requires cleaning and purging of compressed gas piping systems prior to installation and being put into service; to comply with the CGA Standard G-4.1, Cleaning of Equipment for Oxygen Service, seventh edition 2018, which requires cleaning in accordance with said standard for all surfaces in contact with oxygen gas (of concentration that exceeds 23.5%); to comply with the CGA Standard G-4.11, Reciprocating Compressors for Oxygen Service, second edition 2017, in accordance with section 10.5.4 Oxygen Cleaning, Arrival on site - which requires equipment be opened for inspection and cleaned for oxygen service; and to comply with CGA Standard P-1, Standard for Safe Handling of Compressed Gases in Containers, twelfth edition 2015, in accordance with 5.7 Transfilling  which requires the employer to establish written operating instructions that include equipment inspection and maintenance procedures for the equipment used to transfer compressed gases from one container to another.