OSHA Inspection: MILFORD FABRICATING CO., INC.

Issued

Sep 28, 2009

Abate by

Oct 1, 2009

Penalty

Initial $3,000 · Current $2,000 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, including severe burns, to employees in
that employees were exposed to fire
hazards including deflagration as a result of incompatible metal being
processed on laser cutting equipment
with a dust collection attached to the laser equipment inside the building:
On or About March 31, 2009, the Apelio 2510v, model APEL3v2510, metal
laser cutting machine with a
Torit Dust Collector, model SDF6, attached were not cleaned when different
types of metals (cold rolled steel
and aluminum) were processed/cut on the laser cutting machine.
Consequently, a fire erupted within the dust collector and metal duct
between the laser and dust collector
resulting in a structure fire.
Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct
this hazard is to develop a written
cleaning program to ensure the dust collection system is cleaned between
ferrous
and non-ferrous production
jobs along with relocating the dust collection system to outside the
building.  Additional information and
requirements pertaining to hazards associated with metal dust and means to
eliminate and/or minimize such
hazards can be found in NFPA 484, Standard for Combustible Metals (2006
Edition).