OSHA Inspection: TYROLIT OF NORTH AMERICA

Issued

Aug 4, 1999

Abate by

Sep 6, 1999

Penalty

Initial $1,875 · Current $937 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 the hazard of inadvertent operation of the hydraulic press:
(a) IN THE MAIN BUILDING, VITRIFIED AREA, DEPT. 04 --  THE RING GUARD FOR
THE ONE OF THE TWO-HAND CONTROL BUTTONS LOCATED ON THE 100-TON
HYDRAULIC PRESS #6 WAS BROKEN OFF AND HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED, WHICH
CREATED A POTENTIAL HAZARD OF THE PRESS BEING INADVERTENTLY
ACTIVATED BY THE OPERATOR DURING OPERATION.
ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE METHOD OF ABATEMENT, AMONG OTHERS,
WOULD BE TO REPLACE THE RING GUARD AROUND THE CONTROL BUTTON TO
PREVENT INADVERTENT ACTIVATION OF THE PRESS CYCLE.
Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer shall 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 the hazard of improper press operation and point of operation
guarding because of
the lack of regular and periodic press inspections:
(b) IN THE MAIN BUILDING, VITRIFIED AREA --  EMPLOYER DID NOT IMPLEMENT
A PROGRAM OF REGULAR AND PERIODIC INSPECTIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF
THE HYDRAULIC PRESSES WHICH WOULD ADDRESS THE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED
WITH, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A BROKEN RING GUARD FOR A TWO-HAND
CONTROL BUTTON WHICH HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED, A LOOSE-FITTING TWO-
HAND CONTROL BUTTON WHICH HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED, AND AN
INADEQUATELY GUARDED BACK SIDE OF THE 100-TON HYDRAULIC PRESS #6; NO
GUARDING PROVIDED AT THE POINT(S) OF OPERATION ON A WATSON-STILLMAN,
PRESS #1, TWO-SIDED, 2,000-TON OIL HYDRAULIC PRESS; AND INADEQUATE
GUARDING OF THE POINT(S) OF OPERATION ON A FRENCH OIL MILL, TWO-SIDED,
3,000-TON OIL HYDRAULIC PRESS.
ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE METHOD OF ABATEMENT, AMONG OTHERS,
WOULD BE TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM OF REGULAR AND
PERIODIC INSPECTIONS OF THE PRESSES AND A PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM AS RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER AND/OR AS
RECOMMENDED BY ANSI B11.2-1982, AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARD FOR
HYDRAULIC PRESSES, SECTION 4, SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR CONSTRUCTION,
CARE, AND USE.

Issued

Aug 4, 1999

Abate by

Feb 2, 2000

Penalty

Initial $1,875 · Current $937 Reduced