OSHA Inspection: COUGLE'S RECYCLING, INCORPORATED

Issued

Feb 22, 1999

Abate by

Mar 27, 1999

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $1,500 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 a crushing hazard
from the 400 to 500 pound overhead door falling:
(a)Plastic Recycling Department -  The 400 to 500 pound
overhead door for the large milk plastic recycling bin
was being supported in the up position by a wooden
pallet or plastic board placed vertically under the
door.  Employees are reaching under the door and
crawling under the door to remove plastic and clean out
the bins.  The electric hoists for raising and closing
the doors no longer work.  There is also no locking
device or counter weights for the doors of the plastic
bins, so that the doors could be held in the open
position for employees to work under them.  Employees
were relying on plastic props and the forks of powered
industrial trucks to hold the doors in the open
position.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD
TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS TO REPAIR THE HOIST AND INSTALL LOCKS
OR COUNTER WEIGHTS SO THAT THE DOOR CAN NOT FALL ONTO EMPLOYEES
WHO MUST AT TIMES WORK UNDER THEM.
VERIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Feb 22, 1999

Abate by

Mar 27, 1999

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $600 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 hazard of broken
bones, concussions and crushing injuries from walking and working
on a moving conveyor belt that was moving towards a bailer:
(a)  Plastic Sorting Line - Employees were required to walk
on the moving conveyor belt that was moving 95 feet per
minute in order to preform their job.  The employees were
required to remove plastic bottles that were laying on the
ledge of the plastic recycling bins.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD
TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS TO BUILD A WALKWAY NEXT TO THE
RECYCLING BINS SO THAT THE EMPLOYEES WOULD NOT HAVE TO WALK ON
THE MOVING BELT TO PREFORM THEIR DUTIES.
VERIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Feb 22, 1999

Abate by

Mar 27, 1999

Penalty

Initial $1,750 · Current $1,050 Reduced

Issued

Feb 22, 1999

Abate by

Mar 27, 1999

Penalty

Initial $1,750 · Current $1,050 Reduced

Issued

Feb 22, 1999

Abate by

Mar 27, 1999

Issued

Feb 22, 1999

Abate by

Mar 27, 1999

Issued

Feb 22, 1999

Abate by

Mar 27, 1999

Penalty

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

Issued

Feb 22, 1999

Abate by

Mar 12, 1999

Issued

Feb 22, 1999

Abate by

Mar 12, 1999

Issued

Feb 22, 1999

Abate by

Mar 27, 1999

Penalty

Initial $1,750 · Current $1,050 Reduced

Issued

Feb 22, 1999

Abate by

Mar 27, 1999

Penalty

Initial $1,750 · Current $1,050 Reduced

Issued

Feb 22, 1999

Abate by

Mar 27, 1999

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $450 Reduced

Issued

Feb 22, 1999

Abate by

Mar 27, 1999

Issued

Feb 22, 1999

Abate by

Mar 27, 1999

Issued

Feb 22, 1999

Abate by

Mar 27, 1999

Issued

Feb 22, 1999

Abate by

Mar 27, 1999

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $450 Reduced

Issued

Feb 22, 1999

Abate by

Mar 27, 1999

Issued

Feb 22, 1999

Abate by

Mar 27, 1999

Penalty

Initial $500 · Current $300 Reduced