OSHA Inspection: INDUSTRIAL POLISHING & GRINDING, INCORPORATED

Issued

Mar 6, 2002

Abate by

Apr 1, 2002

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $1,000 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 to employees in that employees were exposed
to severe burn injuries  from the
potential dust explosion hazard that could have resulted from, or been
exacerbated by the selection and
location of the dust collector in a Class II, Division I area.
(a)Aluminum Polishing and Grinding Area - The Bridgewood dust collector
used for the stand
belt grinder was not adequate to collect all of the aluminum dust
generated during the grinding
operation. The dust collector was not designed for use with explosive dust
such as aluminum
dust.  The dust collector was designed only for the collection of wood
chips. The dust
collector was not located outside of the building, nor were barriers
located between the dry-
type collector and personnel. Warning signs were not posted on the unit to
warn employees
about the explosive dust, nor was the dust collector placarded with
warnings
such as
WARNING " Aluminum Metal Only --- Fire or Explosion Can Result with Other
Metals", on
or about December 13,2001.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO
CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS TO USE A DUST COLLECTOR  THAT IS DESIGNED FOR THE
COLLECTION OF ALUMINUM DUST AND TO COLLECT ALL THE DUST PRODUCED,
LOCATE THE COLLECTOR OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING, INSTALL BARRIERS BETWEEN
THE DUST COLLECTOR AND PERSONNEL AND POST THE PROPER WARNING SIGNS.
VERIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Mar 6, 2002

Abate by

Apr 1, 2002

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $1,000 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 to employees in that employees were exposed
to sever burns injuries from a
potential dust explosion hazard that could have resulted from, or been
exacerbated by, the non conductive and
corrugated construction of the duct work leading from the stand grinder to
the dust collector:
(a)Aluminum Polishing and Grinding Area - The duct work between the
Bridgewood dust
collector, model number BW-003A, serial number 980133, and the stand belt
grinder was not
constructed of a conductive material but instead was made of a non
conductive material such as
plastic. The interior of the ducts were not smooth but were corrugated.
The ductwork was not
bonded or grounded. Two (2) of the four (4) available outlets were blocked
off and created
dead spaces which allowed for the accumulation of explosive aluminum dust,
on or about
December 13, 2001.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO
CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS TO CONSTRUCT THE DUCT WORK OUT OF A CONDUCTIVE
MATERIAL WITH A SMOOTH INTERIOR, AND BE BONDED AND GROUNDED, WITHOUT
ANY UNUSED OUTLETS WHICH WOULD CREATE DEAD SPACES.
VERIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Mar 6, 2002

Abate by

Apr 1, 2002

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $1,000 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 to employees in that employees were exposed
to severe burn injuries from a
potential dust explosion hazard that could have resulted from, or been
exacerbated by, the propagation of fire
and explosion from the improper design of the dust collector.
(a)Aluminum Polishing and Grinding Area - The Bridgewood dust collector,
model number BW-
003A, serial number 980133, did not have a dust collecting filter medium
that would dissipate
a static electric charge, nor was the collector designed with deflagration
vents. The  air from
the dust collector was recycled into the building and work area. Waste
material from the dust
collector was not mixed with an inert material in a five (5) to one (1)
ratio and placed in a
metal container. The fan was not located on the clean air side of the
collector to prevent the
aluminum dust particles from making contact with the high speed moving
parts. The dust
collector hood and ductwork were not cleaned on a regular basis, on or
about December 13,
2001.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO
CORRECT THIS  HAZARD IS TO INSTALL A COLLECTOR THAT IS DESIGNED FOR THE
COLLECTION OF ALUMINUM DUST PARTICLES, AND ESTABLISH A MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM FOR CLEANING THE DUST COLLECTOR AND DUCTWORK PERIODICALLY.
VERIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Mar 6, 2002

Abate by

Apr 1, 2002

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $1,000 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 to employees in that employees were exposed
to severe burn injuries from a
dust explosion hazard that could have resulted from, or been exacerbated
by, the propagation of fire from the
release of a static spark from the use of unapproved clean-up tools and/or
hydrogen from the use of water:
(a)Aluminum Polishing and Grinding Area - Employees cleaning up the
aluminum dust on the
floor in the belt grinder area used synthetic bristled brooms, steel
shovels and water, on or
about December 13, 2001.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO
CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS TO USE NATURAL FIBER BRISTLE BROOMS, NON SPARKING
AND CONDUCTIVE TOOLS AND ELIMINATE THE USE OF WATER IN ANY CLEAN UP.
VERIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Mar 6, 2002

Abate by

Apr 8, 2002

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $1,000 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 to employees in that employees were exposed
to severe burn injuries from a
dust explosion hazard that could resulted from, or been exacerbated by,
water from an overhead sprinkler
system on aluminum dust forming hydrogen gas:
(a)Aluminum Polishing and Grinding Area - In the event of a fire, overhead
sprinklers releasing
water may generate hydrogen gas when mixed with aluminum dust and create a
potential gas
explosion, on or about December 14, 2001.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO
CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS TO ELIMINATE THE USE OF WATER AS A EXTINGUISHING
AGENT IN THE ALUMINUM DUST AREA.
VERIFICATION REQUIREDTION

Issued

Mar 6, 2002

Abate by

Apr 8, 2002

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $1,000 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 to employees in that employees were exposed
to severe burn injuries from a
potential dust explosion hazard that could have resulted from, or been
exacerbated by, the lack of employee
training  about the hazards involved  with aluminum dust including, but
not limited to, the permitting of
smoking materials, matches and lighters to be carried and used in and
adjacent to the buildings where
combustible dust is present:
(a)Aluminum Grinding and Polishing Area - Employees did not receive
training about the hazards
involved in the processing or finishing operations that generate fine,
combustible aluminum
dust. Employees were permitted to carry and use smoking materials,
matches,
and lighters
around the premises adjacent to or within buildings in which combustible
aluminum dust was
present, on or about December 13, 2001.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO
CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS TO ADEQUATELY TRAIN EMPLOYEES REGARDING THE
HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH  FINISHING OPERATIONS THAT CREATE ALUMINUM
DUST INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED, TO THE DANGER OF FIRE AND EXPLOSION
FROM THE  USE OF LIGHTERS, MATCHES AND SMOKING MATERIALS WITHIN OR
ADJACENT TO  THE BUILDINGS WHERE COMBUSTIBLE ALUMINUM DUST IS PRESENT.
VERIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Mar 6, 2002

Abate by

Jun 1, 2002

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $1,000 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 to employees in that employees were exposed
to severe burn injuries from a
potential dust explosion hazard that could have resulted from, or been
exacerbated by, the use of clothing that
was not flame retardant and non-static-generating, including the use of
safety shoes that were not static
dissipating with no metal parts:
(a)Aluminum Grinding and Polishing Area - Employees were not required to
wear flame
retardant and non-static-generating easily removeable clothing in areas
where combustible
aluminum dust was present. Safety shoes were not static dissipating and
had metal eyelets, on
or about  December 13, 2001.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO
CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS TO REQUIRE EMPLOYEES TO WEAR FLAME RETARDANT,
NON-STATIC-GENERATING CLOTHING AND SAFETY SHOES THAT ARE STATIC
DISSIPATING WITHOUT METAL PARTS.
VERIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Mar 6, 2002

Abate by

Apr 8, 2002

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $1,000 Reduced

Issued

Mar 6, 2002

Abate by

Apr 1, 2002

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $500 Reduced

Issued

Mar 6, 2002

Abate by

Apr 1, 2002

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $1,000 Reduced

Issued

Mar 6, 2002

Abate by

Jun 1, 2004

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $1,500 Reduced

Issued

Mar 6, 2002

Abate by

Jul 1, 2002

Penalty

Initial $1,750 · Current $1,000 Reduced

Issued

Mar 6, 2002

Abate by

Apr 1, 2002

Penalty

Initial $1,750