OSHA Inspection: CRANE PLUMBING

Issued

Jun 9, 1997

Abate by

Jun 12, 1999

Penalty

Initial $2,625 · Current $2,625

General-duty citation text

address exposures, especially where changes to the production process are
warranted.
Sixty (60) day progress reports are required to be submitted to the Area
Director of the
OSHA Toledo Area Office during the abatement period.
3)  Implementation of engineering, administrative and work practice
controls, as
described in 4(a)-4(c).
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 free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause
death or serious physical
harm to employees, in that employees were required to perform manual
material handling tasks
resulting in risk factors that were causing or likely to cause
musculoskeletal disorders and
injuries.
A)  On April 22 and 23, 1997 the inside and outside turnout jobs in
Department 65 in
the vitreous china plant at Crane Plumbing, as well as associated records,
were evaluated
for risk factors associated with the development of musculoskeletal
disorders (MSDs).
The results of the analysis indicate that employees were exposed to
hazards which have
been associated with the development of MSDs and injuries of the upper
extremities
(shoulders, arms and hands) and back (neck, thoracic and lumbar/sacral
regions).
The
employer did not implement an effective control strategy to reduce or
eliminate such
hazards.  The effectiveness  of control strategies can be seen in the
increase of cases of
MSDs from 3 cased in 1993 to 12 cases in 1996 in the turnout department,
even though
the number of employees on these jobs has remained the same.  Turnover,
has increased
to approximately 100 percent for these jobs.  The incidence rates were 89
and 100 new
cases per 199 workers fir 1995 and 1996, respectively.
At the turn-out stations hazards include, but are not limited to, lifting,
pulling, pushing
and carrying of product (bowl, board, foot core and molds) between 43 and
104.5
pounds.
Risk factors for upper extremity MSDs in the turnout positions include,
but are not
limited to :  poor coupling, the inability to grasp the molds; the use of
the hand as a
mallet to loosen the molds; the repetitive turning of butterfly screws;
the throwing of
clay, the carrying of the bowls and boards, and the use of poorly designed
tools (to drain
the molds and cut out cores in the bowls).
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method of abatement to
correct these
risk factors for MSDs is the implementation of an ergonomics management
program.
This program consists of four basic elements described below.
1)  Worksite Analysis
Worksite analysis shall be performed by a qualified person to identify
existing ergonomic
risk factors in the workplace.  This analysis should include the use of
checklist and
employee questionnaire to identify risk factors for MSDs.  Periodic
surveys of the
workplace should be conducted at least quarterly, whenever there is a
change in the
product or process, or when an employee is injured, whichever occurs
first.
Employee
participation in this process and in the ergonomic program should be
encouraged.
In addition to hands-on analysis, records of injuries and illnesses should
be used to
identify trends, such as the increases in  injuries and illnesses in the
turnout jobs in
Department 65.
2)  Hazard Prevention and Control
Hazard prevention and control includes engineering, administrative, and
work practice
controls, as follows.
Engineering controls applicable to the turnout jobs include, but are not
limited to:
i)  Increase the height of the conveyor to further reduce bending during
lifting, lowering, pushing and pulling tasks.
ii)  Redesign tools, such as the drain plug and core can to reduce
mechanical compression of soft tissues of the  hand and fingers.
iii)  Redesign the skid to reduce pulling force and bending.
iv)  Improve coupling on the molds, by providing cutouts of handles, to
improve hand postures and ability to grip the molds during lifting, pushing
and pulling.  Lifting strength decreases 5-10due to the lack of handles.
v)  Replace butterfly nuts with quick release clamps to reduce the twisting
of the wrist during the loosening and tightening of clamps.
vi) Continue to phase in polymer boards, which weigh 5 pounds less than
the wooden boards.  Investigate the root cause of splintered boards and
remedy the cause.
vii)  Replace nails on wooden boards, with set screws, as maintenance is
needed in older boards, to reduce risk for hand injuries.  In addition,
splintered boards should be tagged and repaired as soon as they are
identified.
viii)  Identify all carrying tasks and reduce the distance needed to carry
the product and setter board (approximately 55 pounds).
ix)  Redesign or grease the skid to reduce the need to use excessive force
while moving the skid from one position to another.
b)  Administrative Controls
Administrative controls include, but are not limited to, a reduction in
frequency, durations, and severity of exposure to ergonomic stress.
These controls may include job
rotation, reduction of repetitions, and severity of exposures to risk
factors for MSDs.  c)  Work practice controls
Work practice controls include proper work techniques and new employee
conditioning
to minimize risk factors associated with MSDs.  An assessment of the way
employees
lift bowls should be undertaken to assure that the bowls are lifted as
close to the body
as possible.  The existence of symptoms of low back pain and/or a history
of low back
injuries or other MSDs may assist Crane with the placement of workers into
heavy duty
positions.
Workers in turnout may need time to adjust to the workload and flexibility
required
to
perform the job.
3)  Training and education
Employees who are exposed to risk factors (including, but not limited to
repetitious motions,
forceful exertions, awkward postures, exposure to vibrations, compression
of soft tissues) for
MSDs, should receive training and education on ergonomic principles
related to their work.
This training and education on ergonomic principles related to their work.
This training and
education should include a method to evaluate the effectiveness of the
training.
Training for supervisors and line staff should include information on risk
factors for MSDs,
symptoms of MSDs, how to prevent exposure to risk factors, and when and
how to report
symptoms of MSDs.
4)  Medical management
Medical management includes the design of a program to identify and
address symptoms of
MSDs.  The company nurse should be trained and educated in the
recognition, evaluation and
referral of MSD cases.  The company nurse should also be included in the
ergonomic team
worksite assessments, to provide feedback on health outcomes associated
with various risk
factors.  She should also have input into alternative job duties.
Steps for Abatement:
1)  Implement of an ergonomics program as detailed in items 1, 3 and 4
2)  Submit to the Area Director of the OSHA Toledo Area Office, a detailed
plan of
abatement, outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering,
administrative and
work practice controls as detailed in item 4.  It is recognized that this
is an ongoing
program and that requests for extension of the abatement dates may be
needed to fully

Issued

Apr 14, 1997

Abate by

Apr 21, 1997

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $1,700 Reduced

Issued

Apr 14, 1997

Abate by

May 19, 1997

Penalty

Initial $1,875 · Current $1,703 Reduced

Issued

Apr 14, 1997

Abate by

Oct 14, 1997

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $2,500 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9010

Issued

Apr 14, 1997

Abate by

Oct 14, 1997

Hazardous substances 9010

Issued

Apr 14, 1997

Abate by

May 8, 1997

Penalty

Initial $900 · Current $450 Reduced

Issued

Apr 14, 1997

Abate by

May 19, 1997