OSHA Inspection: SWIFT-ECKRICH, INC.

Issued

Aug 26, 1987

Abate by

Mar 1, 1988

Penalty

Initial $810 · Current $810

General-duty citation text

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 hazard of electric shock, being caught in, crushing, amputations,
and death when working to clear jams, perform inspections,
adjustments, maintenance, clean-up, and set-up operations. Throughout
the facility, on mixers, conveyors, motors and other equipment, on or
about June 26, 1987 a lockout/tagout program was not being utilized.
Abatement of the hazard can be accomplished by the establishment of
management controls over the work being performed, instructions of
workers in the recognition and avoidance of hazards, safe shutdown of
machines, blocking, stopping and reducing machines and equipment to Zero
Thermal and Mechanical Energy State (ZTMS), documentation of maintenance
performed. Specific elements of the abatement program shall be expected
to include, but not necessarily be limited to:
1) Secure and maintain current operations and maintenance manuals on all
machines to be serviced. Assure provision of appropriate manuals and/
or information contained to affected workers before work is begun.
2) Analyze all machines and determine the thermal, electrical,
mechanical and nip point hazards which are present. Establish and
document the procedures which will be used in performing maintenance,
set-up, tear-down and operation of machines or equipment.
3) Establish and use a documented work order system for machine
operation, maintenance and repairs. Document repairs made, both
preventive and breakage, and use the information to improve
preventive maintenance, reduce costs, increases on-line time, and
reduce worker injuries.
4) At the start of work, switch off and use a worker's, individual lock
on the electric control switch to prevent re-energizing the machine.
After switch off, assure that the electric circuits are proven de-
energized, a unique situation information tag shall be attached to
the lock and machine energizing control. This lock provision shall be
required on all equipment including those which are cord and plug
connected.
5) All other fluid energy power sources which can produce movements of
machine members shall be locked off. Pressurized lines (air or
liquid) shall be closed off from the machine through the use of shut
off valves, and the supply lines towards the machine reduced in
pressure to atmosphere of the machine blocked against possible
movementn. All possible temperature and pressure gauges shall be
maintained to always provide an accurate status reading of the
machine.
6) All mechanical gravity fall potential energy within the machine shall
be reduced to zero, or as nearly so as possible, by lowering elevated
machine parts to the floor, solid surfaces by cribbing and blocking
them to prevent all the machine parts from falling.
7) All mechanical kinetic rotating machine energy within the machine
shall be reduced to a zero, or as nearly as possible, by slowing the
rotating parts to a stop. In the alternate, the worker shall be
guarded from the rotating parts by installing temporary guards.
Loose machine parts including machine parts, arms, kinives, blades,
etc., shall be blocked or secured to prevent possible injury to
workers.
8) Necessary work on the machine shall be performed. Upon completion,
all guards, tie offs, valves, cribbing and blockages shall be removed
from the machine in a manner to prevent working injuries. The machine
shall be re-energized and run experimentally. The fully functional
machine shall be formally returned to service and the operations
manager shall counter-sign the safety machine out tag, and the work
order.
9) The employer shall formally document his safe machine maintenance
program. He shall develop a traiing program to instruct affected
manintenance, operations workers and management.
10) The employer shall train his workers in the safe machine operation
and maintenance program. The training shall be repeated as frequently
as is necessary to maintain management and worker efficiency and
compliance with the procedures.
DISCLAIMERS:
1) You are not limited to the abatement methods suggested above.
2) The methods explained are general and may not be effective in all
cases.
3) The employer is responsible for selecting and carrying out an
appropriate abatement method.

Issued

Aug 4, 1987

Abate by

Aug 7, 1987

Penalty

Initial $560 · Current $560

Issued

Aug 4, 1987

Abate by

Mar 1, 1988

Issued

Aug 4, 1987

Abate by

Mar 1, 1988