OSHA Inspection: OLYMPIC PLUMBING INC.

Issued

Oct 27, 1994

Abate by

Nov 1, 1994

Penalty

Initial $525 · Current $275 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not
furnish employmnent 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 having their clothes and body entangled in the rotating
parts of the Rigid pipe
threader.
(a)On or about 7/15/94, at 2nd floor - S/E corner
Employees had operated a Rigid pipe threader which was operated by a toggle
switch that would not automatically shut the machine off if its operator
was
caught in the moving parts.
ABATEMENT NOTE:  Among other methods, one feasible method to reduce this
hazard is to
establish and enforce adequate procedures such as those stipulated in
American National
Standards for portable pipe threading machines (ANSI B208.1 1982) Elements
essential to an
acceptable safe operating procedure include at a minimum:
1 -Installation of a momentary contact device (dead mans foot switch) to
control power
input to the machine.  This device would automatically stop the machine
and the rotating
pipe if the operators foot was removed from the switch for any reason.
2 -Provide training and education to the machine operator concerning all
the appropriate
procedures for the safe operation and use of this type of machinery.