Text For Citation: 03 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: CHEMICAL

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 toxic and flammable vapors as the employer did not implement feasible and accepted engineering control measures on the continuous viscose processing machines which were designed to monitor and/or prevent atmospheric contamination by hazardous concentrations of carbon disulfide, hydrogen sulfide, and/or ammonia vapors during the manufacture of synthetic sausage casings. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is: 1) Install high-level alarms and interlocks for shutdown of the viscose processing machines to prevent tank liquid levels from spilling into the side-draw exhaust systems and/or overflowing the tanks, thus rendering the ventilation systems ineffective. 2) Install high-temperature alarms and interlocks for shutdown of the viscose processing machines to prevent tank liquid temperatures from exceeding established safe operating limits, resulting in increased vapor production overburdening the local exhaust systems beyond their operating capacities. 3) Install continuous ambient air measurement instruments to monitor levels of carbon disulfide, hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia at strategic locations in the vicinity ofl the exhuaust systems of the continuous viscose processing machines to assure ventilation rates are sufficient to keep airborne levels below OSHA permissible exposure limits under all manufacturing conditions. These monitors shall incorporate audible alarms and interlocks for process shutdown should airborne levels exceed these limits.