OSHA Inspection: WISE RECYCLING LLC

Issued

Aug 20, 2003

Abate by

Aug 24, 2003

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $1,500

Issued

Aug 20, 2003

Abate by

Aug 24, 2003

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $2,000

Issued

Aug 20, 2003

Abate by

Aug 25, 2003

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $2,000

Issued

Aug 20, 2003

Abate by

Sep 2, 2003

Penalty

Initial $70,000 · Current $52,520 Reduced

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 employee(s)
were exposed to the hazard of amputations:
(a)On April 28, 2003, an employees' arm was amputated when he was using a
vertical baler
to compact and bale scrap aluminum.  The baler was being operated with the
front top
loading chamber door open.  That is, the employer had allowed the front
chamber door
to be wired open, thus bypassing the safety switch/interlock that had been
installed by
the manufacturer.
Among others, some feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct
this hazard are to
comply with The American National Standards Institute, ANSI Z245.5-1982,
Safety
Requirements for Baling Equipment, Section 4.2.2.1 and Section 4.2.2.2:
In that, the machine
shall have a chamber loading door that completely encloses the loading
chamber before the ram
can be activated into its compression (downward) stroke, thus prohibiting
employees from
entering the point of operation with any part of their body when the ram
is in its compression
(downward) stroke.  Also, the chamber door shall be interlocked with the
ram so that the door
will open when the ram has completed its upward stroke. The chamber door
shall be so
interlocked with the ram that it shall have an automatic opening feature
which shall stop the ram
or return it to its rest position if the closure of the loading chamber
door is opened more than
one-half inch at any time during the compression (downward) stroke.
OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE
29 CFR 1910.212(a)(3)(ii):  Point(s) of operation of machinery were not
guarded to prevent
employee(s) from having any part of their body in the danger zone(s)
during
operating cycle(s):
(a)On April 28, 2003, an employees' arm was amputated while he was
operating a
vertical baler and the fron chamber door was wired open, bypassing the
safety
interlock which allowed the employee to enter the point of operation.

Issued

Aug 20, 2003

Abate by

Aug 25, 2003