OSHA Inspection: FIELDCREST CANNON, INC.

Issued

Jan 9, 1992

Abate by

Aug 1, 1996

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $5,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

The alleged violations below (3a-3c) have been grouped because they
involve similar or related hazards that may increase the
potential for illness.
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
an unacceptable risk of exposure to musculoskeletal injuries and
cumulative trauma disorders, due to the performance of various tasks
requiring repetitive motions, such as lifting, bending, twisting,
reaching, gripping, pinching, pushing and pulling and undesirable
hand, arm and shoulder postures, while sewing or material handling
in the towel and washcloth finishing areas.  Employees were exposed
to the risk of increased severity and/or recurrence of illness in that
an effective ergonomics program had not been implemented.
Ergonomical hazards existed in the following operations:
(a)  Automatic end hemming, manual end hemming, end hemming
cutting, automatic end hemming inspection and material handling.
(b)  Washcloth finishing - Washcloth hemming.
While the ultimate responsibility for correcting the hazard rests with
the employer, feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this
hazard include, but are not limited to the following:
1.  Development and implementation of an ergonomics program which
includes the following events:
(a)  Identification of all current employees who experience symptoms
of musculoskeletal injuries, or any of the symptoms generally asso-
ciated with cumulative trauma disorders;
(b)  An ergonomic assessment of each operation to identify stressors
which may be produced by the environment and/or work methods;
(c)  An effective ergonomics training program for employees, super-
visors, engineers, and managers;
(d)  A work conditioning program for new employees;
(e)  A light duty program designed to reduce stress of musculoskeletal
symptoms of individual employees showing early symptoms of illness;
(f)  A medical surveillance system for tracking musculoskeletal trauma
disorders.
ABATEMENT NOTE:  Three Step Abatement Plan.
STEP 1:
Effective administrative protection such as employee training, physical
assessment, job rotation, etc., shall be provided as an interim measure
until sufficient and adequate feasible engineering and/or administrative
controls can be determined and implemented; or when such controls fail
to reduce employee exposure to normal risk.
ABATEMENT DATE FOR STEP 1 IS FEBRUARY 12, 1992.
STEP 2:
A written detailed plan of abatement outlining a schedule for the imple-
mentation of engineering and/or administrative controls which will reduce
employee illnesses due to manual lifting tasks, repetitive motions and
undesirable postures.
ABATEMENT DATE FOR STEP 2 IS MARCH 12, 1992.
STEP 3:
Abatement shall hae been completed by the implementation of feasible engi-
neering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effec-
tiveness in reducing the occurrence of musculoskeletal and cumulative
trauma disorders.
ABATEMENT DATE FOR STEP 3 IS JULY 12, 1992.
2.  Implementation of feasible and acceptable engineering and work
practive controls include, but are not limited to the following:
(a)  Reducing wrist deviations and forearm rotations;
(b)  Limiting the arm reach;
(c)  Lowering the frequency of repetitive motion;
(d)  Rotation of personnel between high and low stressor tasks;
(e)  Redesign job tasks by modifying production requirements
of high stress operations;
(f)  Redesign of workstations to minimize physiological stress;
(g)  Reduction of weights being lifting;
(h)  Adjust heights of material by adjusting heights of carts or
bins;
(i)  Redesign material movement carts so that equipment moves
more easily;
(j)  Provide proper ergonomically designed chairs which may be
adjusted to fit the employee and the workstation;
ABATEMENT NOTE:  Three Step Abatement Plan.
STEP 1:
Effective administrative protection such as employee training, physical
assesment, job rotation, etc., shall be provided as an interim measure
until sufficient and adequate feasible engineering and/or administrative
controls can be determined and implemented; or when such controls fail
to reduce employee exposure to nominal risk.
ABATEMENT DATE FOR STEP 1 IS FEBRUARY 12, 1992.
STEP 2:
A written detailed plan of abatement outlining a schedule for the imple-
mentation of engineering and/or administrative controls which will reduce
employee illnesses due to manual lifting tasks, repetitive motions and
undesirable postures.
ABATEMENT DATE FOR STEP 2 IS MARCH 12, 1992.
STEP 3:
Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible
engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their
effectiveness in reducing the occurrence of musculosketal and cumula-
tive trauma disorders.
ABATEMENT DATE FOR STEP 3 IS JULY 12, 1992.

Issued

Jan 9, 1992

Abate by

Feb 3, 1992

Penalty

Initial $3,150 · Current $2,170 Reduced

Issued

Jan 9, 1992

Abate by

Feb 12, 1992

Penalty

Initial $3,150 · Current $2,170 Reduced

Issued

Jan 9, 1992

Abate by

Feb 12, 1992

Issued

Jan 9, 1992

Abate by

Feb 12, 1992

Issued

Jan 9, 1992

Abate by

Aug 1, 1996

Penalty

Initial $900 · Current $600 Reduced

Issued

Jan 9, 1992

Abate by

Jan 15, 1992

Issued

Jan 9, 1992

Abate by

Jan 12, 1992

Issued

Jan 9, 1992

Abate by

Feb 12, 1992