OSHA Inspection: MAROCK, INC.

Issued

Aug 12, 1996

Abate by

Sep 25, 1996

Penalty

Initial $49,000 · Current $5,000 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
was free from
recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious
physical harm to
employees in that employees were exposed to being caught-in machinery or
equipment during
an unexpected start-up while employees were performing servicing on that
machine or
equipment.
Prior to performance of servicing on an asphalt hopper and conveyor system
at the asphalt plant,
the employer did not ensure that this machinery was isolated from its
energy source and the
energy isolating source was locked out.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to abate this
hazard is to establish
and strictly enforce work practices for the deenergization and lock-out of
machinery while
working on this machinery and notification of affected employees; i.e.,
those employees
operating or who may operate machinery; of lockout.  Issuance of
identifiable locks to
employees who perform work on machinery requiring lockout and a written
policy with training
for all authorized and affected employees regarding lockout/tagout
procedures would, at a
minimum, abate this hazard.
OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE:
29 CFR 1910.147(c)(1):The employer did not establish a program consisting
of an energy
control procedure and employee training to ensure that before any employee
performed any
servicing or maintenance on a machine or equipment where the enexpected
energizing, start-up
or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the machine or
equipment would be
isolated and rendered inoperative.  An employee in the asphalt plant
performing work on an
asphalt hopper did not have the conveyor on which he was standing locked
out or otherwise
rendered inoperative.  This employee was exposed to being caught between
the hopper and the
conveyor slats.or