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Risk Assessment on Fire Hazards

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Risk Assessment on Fire Hazards

 

Introduction

Hoeganaes Corporation is well-known for the production of its atomized steel and iron powders. The company is considered the largest producer of the powered metal in the manufacturing industry. However, the company has faced several fire incidents causing the death of several employees. The study is determined to address several fire hazards that needed to be addressed. This paper intends to perform a risk assessment of fire hazards at Hoeganaes Corporation.  It will also point out on the variables believed to be causing fires standardsexplosions at the facility. The paper will further describe the OSHA standards that ought to be implemented at the facility. A further mitigation strategy that will be used to reduce the fire hazards shall be conducted. Finally, it will discuss how the NFPA Life Safety Code would apply to this facility.

Risk Assessment of Fire Hazards

\           It is believed that the fire incident that occurred on January 31, 2011, at the facility when the bucket elevator became misaligned and had an electrical hazard. It is believed when the equipment was started, and iron dust was dispersed, causing an explosion, which led to the death of two workers (U.S. Chemical Safety, 2012).  The second incident occurred on March 29, 2011, where two workers were on their line of duty to connect up a gas line to a band boiler. As there were reconnecting the gas port back to the boiler by hammering, some iron dust was released in the atmosphere leading to an explosion. Only one worker was injured in this incident (U.S. Chemical Safety, 2012).  In the third incident, which occurred on May 27, 2011, five workers were involved. In this case, a hydrogen gas leak with a large amount of iron dust was dispersed on the atmosphere leading to an explosion (U.S. Chemical Safety, 2012).  This explosion occurred due to oxygen being removed from the air, which causes a fire hazard due to the product being manufactured, iron dust, and hydrogen gas (Khambekar & Pittenger, 2013).

Based on the analysis, the facility failed to mitigate combustible dust hazards, which led to several fire incidents. We can also conclude that the employees were not well trained to comprehend the potentially severe hazard when accumulated dust is dispersed into the air or any fire hazard that may occur at the facility.  The electrical standards were not up to part as required at the facility, and the facility lacks adequate insulation in hydrogen gas.

OSHA Standards to Fire Hazards

Based on the assessments conducted, federal law requires OSHA to set standards that would apply to fire hazards.  OSHA standards compose an essential recommendation that any worker should be able to work on an environment free of hazards that can easily injure them. Nevertheless, OSHA sets specific safety standards for the facility that require all employers to address all known workplace hazards.

Recommendations of Approach

            For the company to apply for the OSHA standards to protect its employees, there has to put into practice a hierarchy of controls to prevent fires and explosion. This will help resolve the iron dust issue and improve the working procedures. However, all mechanical equipment needs renovation to minimize explosions. Lastly, workers need to be trained on handling equipment and being trained on working procedures. They should also be trained on how to take protective measures against these hazards.  The NIOSH standards can help employees better understand the prevention of work-related injuries and illnesses within the facility (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019).

NFPA Life Safety Code

The NFPA Life Safety Code applies to Hoeganaes Corporation by providing employees with training programs to protect life and use appropriate steps to guide workers against fire hazards.  By implementing fire systems from the code, management at the facility will identify fire hazards more efficiently than just depending on employees reporting the issues.

Conclusion

The fire incidents that occurred at Hoeganaes Corporation due to management not following a plan of action to reduce the risk of fire hazards at the facility.  By management not following standards required by OSHA and other agencies, human lives were lost and injured.  By developing a hierarchy of standards and implementing appropriately, the company will be able to lessen the risk of fire-related incidents and spare human life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, July 22). NIOSH regulations. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/regulations.html

Khambekar, J., & Pittenger, B. H. (2013). Understanding and preventing metal-dust hazards. International Journal of Powder Metallurgy49(4).

U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (2012). Hoeganaes Corporation Fatal Flash Fires. Retrieved from https://csb.gov

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

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