OSHA Inspection: CANDY'S TORTILLA FACTORY, INC.

Issued

Dec 20, 1990

Abate by

Dec 20, 1991

Penalty

Initial $400 · Current $400

General-duty citation text

5(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of
%%
employment which were free from recognized hazard that were causing
or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that
employees were required to perform tasks involving identified ergonomic
risk factors (including but not limited to repetitive motion, high
force, and awkward postures)  resulting in stressors that had caused,
were causing, or were likely to cause cumulative trauma disorders.
%%
(a) Employees in the flour department perform hand spreading
of tortillas, picking of tortillas, placing of dough
balls on a conveyor, placing of tortillas into plastic
bags, twisting the top of plastic bags and securing with
clips and reaching to place bags of tortillas on a conveyor.
The evaluation of tasks this department indicates that
employees are exposed to hazards which are causing or likely
to cause cumulative trauma disorders.
%%
(b) Employees in the corn department perform counting,
culling, and bagging of tortillas.  The evaluation of tasks
in this department indicates that employees are exposed to
hazards which are causing or likely to cause cumulative
trauma disorders.
%%
The employer did not implement an effective control strategy to reduce
or eliminate such disorders in these departments.  The injury and
illness records for 1988, 1989, and 1990 documented a pattern of
cumulative trauma disorders.
%%
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement
method to correct this hazard is the implementation of an
ergonomics management program consisting of the following
four elements.
%%
(1) Worksite analysis to recognize and identify
existing ergonomic risk factors in the workplace.  This
analysis should include development and use of an
ergonomic checklist and employee questionnaire.
Periodic surveys of the workplace shall be conducted at
least annually to evaluate work practices and
engineering controls.  Employee participation in the
ergonomic program should be encouraged through a
mechanism such as a safety committee.
%%
(2) Medical management which includes accurate record
keeping of cumulative trauma disorders.  The program
should address early recognition, evaluation, and
should include conservation treatment and conservative
return to work.  Systematic worksite review by the
medical team should also be included in program.
%%
(3)Training and education for exposed employees
including methods to evaluate the effectiveness of the
training.  re-training should be done annually, or as
operations change.  Training should address hazards
associated with the job, the risks of developing
cumulative trauma disorders, symptoms of exposure, and
how to prevent the occurrence of cumulative trauma
disorders.
%%
A supervisors training program should also be implemented
to allow recognitions of the signs of cumulative
trauma disorders and to reinforce the employer's
ergonomics program.
%%
(4)  Hazard prevention and control which includes
engineering, work practice, and administrative
controls, and personal protective equipment where
relevant.
%%
(a) Administrative controls are implemented which
reduce the duration, frequency, and severity of
exposure to ergonomic stress.  These controls may
include job rotation, reduction of repetitions, and
preventive maintenance of related equipment.
Personal protective equipment shall be evaluated to
determine its contribution to ergonomic stress.
%%
(b)  Work practice controls are implemented which
include proper work techniques, new employee
conditioning, and monitoring and modifications as
necessary to minimize ergonomic stressors.
%%
(i) Train employees to use work techniques which
improve body posture and reduce stress and strain
on extremities, such as picking from only one side
of the conveyor to reduce bending and stretching.
%%
(ii) Monitor new employees and employee returning
to the job following reports of pain, numbness
or other symptoms to ensure that they are using
proper work techniques.
%%
(iii)  Allow for a period of conditioning at a
slower rate until new employees have adjusted to
the job.
%%
(c) Engineering controls are designed by a qualified
ergonomist and may include workstation redesign, tool
and handle redesign, and change of work methods.  The
goal of this program should be to make the job fit
the person.
%%
Examples of engineering controls applicable to this
workplace include:
%%
(i)  Maintain heat in all areas during the winter
months because cold temperatures are a risk factor
for cumulative trauma disorders.
%%
(ii) Evaluate heights, width, and placement of
conveyor belts and adjust the conveyors to reduce
the need to stretch, bend, and reach when
performing job tasks.
%%
(iii)  redesign jobs to eliminate the need to
perform stressful wrist and finger movements.
%%
(iv)  reduce the speed of the lines.
%%
(v)  Eliminate the need to place dough balls on
the conveyor manually by installing automatic
equipment.
%%
STEP 1 -  Implementation of an ergonomics program for worksite
analysis, detailed management, and training and education, as detailed in
items 1-3 above.
%%
STEP 2 -  Submit to the Area Director a written, detailed plan of
abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of the
administrative, work practice, and engineering controls as detailed in
items 4(a) - 4(c).
%%
ALL PROPOSED CONTROL MEASURES SHALL BE APPROVED FOR EACH PARTICULAR
USE BY A PERSON TRAINED IN THE EVALUATION OF WORKPLACE CONDITIONS
WHICH CAUSE CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS.  SIXTY (60) DAY PROGRESS
REPORTS ARE REQUIRED DURING THE ABATEMENT PERIOD.
%%
STEP 3 - Implementation of administrative, work practice, and
engineering controls, as described in items 4(a) - 4(c).

Issued

Dec 20, 1990

Abate by

Aug 16, 1992

Penalty

Initial $560 · Current $400 Reduced

General-duty citation text

5(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of
%%
employment which were free from recognized hazard that were causing
or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that
employees were required to perform material handling tasks resulting in
stressors that had caused, were causing, and were likely to cause
musculoskeletal and/or crushing injuries.
%%
(a) Employees in the corn department manually push, pull
or otherwise move tubs filled with corn and water.  The
total weight of the filled tubs is greater than 2500 pounds.
The weight consists of 900 pounds of corn and 200 gallons of
water weighing 1600 pounds, in addition to the weight of the
tub itself.  The evaluation of this task, including employee
interviews, compliance officer observations, and evaluation
of the OSHA 200 log indicate that employees are exposed to a
hazard which is causing and is likely to cause musculoskeletal
injuries and.or crushing injuries.  The employer
did not implement an effective control strategy to reduce or
eliminate such injuries.  The injury and illness records for
1988, 1989, and 1990 documented a pattern of injuries
caused by manually moving these tubs.
%%
(b) Employees in the corn department and in the flour
department  lift dough into hoppers, load boxes filled
with tortillas onto pallets, and pull pallets loaded
with boxes.  The evaluation of these tasks including
employee interviews, compliance office observations,
and evaluation of the  OSHA 200 log indicates that
employees are exposed to a hazard which is causing
or is likely to cause musculoskeletal injuries.  The
employer did not implement an effective control strategy
to reduce or eliminate such injuries.  The illness and
injury records for 1988, 1989, and 1990 documented a
pattern of musculoskeletal injuries associated with
lifting of cases, lifting of masa, and pulling of
loaded pallets.
%%
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement
method to correct this hazard is the implementation of the
following four elements:
%%
(1) Worksite analysis  to recognize and identify
existing material handling hazards in the workplace.
This analysis should include development and use of an
ergonomic checklist an employee questionnaire. Periodic
surveys of the workplace shall be conducted at least
annually to evaluate work practices and engineering
controls.  Employee participation in the ergonomic
program should be encouraged through a mechanism such
as a safety committee.
%%
(2) Medical management which includes accurate
recordkeeping of material handling injuries.  The
program should address early recognition, evaluation,
and referral of material handling injury cases,
systematic worksite review by the medical team should
also be included in the program.
%%
(3) Training and education for exposed employees,
including methods to evaluate the effectiveness of the
training.  Re-training should be done annually, or as
operations change.  Training should address hazards
associated with the job, the risks of manual material
handling, and how to prevent the injuries.  A supervisors
training program should also be implemented to
allow recognition of manual lifting hazards and to
reinforce the employer's ergonomic program.
%%
(4) Hazard prevention and control which includes
engineering, work practices, and administrative controls.
%%
(a) Administrative control are implemented which
reduce the duration, frequency, and severity of
exposure to material handling hazards.  These controls
may include job rotation, reduction of repetitions,
multiple person lifts, and preventive maintenance of
related equipment.
%%
(b) Work practice controls are implemented which
include proper work techniques, new employee
conditioning, proper placement of loads, and reduction
of weight lifted.
%%
Examples of work practice controls applicable to this
workplace include:
(i)  Reduce the size of dough batches to facilitate
easier handling.
(ii) train employees to make repeated trips weight
smaller amounts of dough (masa) rather than fewer
trips with larger amounts of dough.
(iii) Use four or more persons to move tubs filled
with corn and water, to allow tubs to be moved in a
controlled manner without excessive strain.
%%
(c)  Engineering controls are designed by a qualified
ergonomist and may include workstation redesign, tool
and handle redesign, and use of mechanical lifting aids.
The goal of this program should be to make the job
fit the person.
%%
Examples of engineering controls applicable to this
workplace include:
(i) Process modification to eliminate the need
to move the corn tubs from place to place.
(ii) Use of electric trucks or pulleys to
eliminate the need for manually pulling pallets
loaded with boxes of product.
(iii) Use of spring-loaded lifters for pallets
to eliminate the need for bending when loading pallets.
(iv) Use of lifting equipment to eliminate the need
for manual lifting & handling of the masa.
(v) Redesign areas where cases are packed to
reduce the necessity for bending and twisting while
filling cases.
%%
STEP 1 - Implementation of an ergonomics program for worksite analysis,
medical management, and training and education, as detailed in items 1-3
above.
%%
STEP 2 - Submit to the Area Director a written, detailed plan of
abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of the
administrative work practice, and engineering controls as detailed
in items 4(a) - 4(c).
%%
ALL PROPOSED CONTROL MEASURES SHALL BE APPROVED FOR EACH PARTICULAR
USE BY A PERSON TRAINED IN THE EVALUATION OF WORKPLACE CONDITIONS
WHICH CAUSE MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS.  SIXTY (60) PROGRESS REPORTS
ARE REQUIRED DURING THE ABATEMENT PERIOD.
%%
STEP 3 - Implementation of administrative , work practice, and
engineering controls as described in items 4(a) - 4(c).

Issued

Dec 20, 1990

Abate by

Feb 22, 1991

Penalty

Initial $490 · Current $350 Reduced

Issued

Dec 20, 1990

Abate by

Apr 15, 1991

Penalty

Initial $350 · Current $175 Reduced

Issued

Dec 20, 1990

Abate by

Jun 14, 1991

Penalty

Initial $420 · Current $400 Reduced

Issued

Dec 20, 1990

Abate by

Dec 23, 1990

Penalty

Initial $100 · Current $100

Issued

Dec 20, 1990

Abate by

Dec 23, 1990

Penalty

Initial $100

Issued

Dec 20, 1990

Abate by

Dec 23, 1990

Penalty

Initial $100

Issued

Dec 20, 1990

Abate by

Apr 22, 1991

Penalty

Initial $210

Issued

Dec 20, 1990

Abate by

Jun 19, 1991