OSHA Inspection: WEPAK CORPORATION

Issued

Aug 28, 1998

Abate by

Sep 2, 1998

Penalty

Initial $500 · Current $500

General-duty citation text

North Carolina General Statute 95-129 (1) of the Occupational
Safety and Health Act of North Carolina:  The employer did not
furnish to each of his employees conditions of employment and a
place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that
were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm:
a)facility - acid mixing department, on July 1, 1998
employees were observed working around the mixing and
storage tanks in an area where the roof had caved-in and
no steps had been taken to prevent further collapse.
b)facility - acid mixing department, the supporting members
for the elevated work platform used by employees to
access the top of the storage tanks for cleaning were
damaged when the roof caved-in and no steps had been
taken to prevent collapse.
Note:According to management the cave-in occurred
approximately two weeks prior to the inspection.
Among other methods, one feasible and useful abatement method for
reducing this hazard is to immediately remove employees from the
affected area and perform necessary repairs prior to continuing
production.

Issued

Aug 28, 1998

Abate by

Jan 15, 1999

Penalty

Initial $250 · Current $250

General-duty citation text

North Carolina General Statute 95-129(1) of the Occupational Safety
and Health Act of North Carolina:  The employer did not furnish to
each of his employees conditions of 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:
a)acid mixing department, the electric chain underhung
hoise used by the employees to raise and lower the old
"freight elevator" was not installed, inspected and
maintained in accordance with good engineering practices.
The "freight elevator" is used by employees to transport
finished product from the basement to the main level.
1)The rated load of the hoist is not legible on the hoist
or load block.
2)Frequent and/or periodic inspections were not conducted
of the hoist, the hoist chain, and hook.
3)Frequent and/or periodic inspections were not made of the
chain like slings which were wrapped around the wooden
beams and used as the anchorage point for the hoist and
load block.  The slings showed signs or corrosion and had
damaged the wooden support beams.
4)Employees enter the cart of the "freight elevator" to
unload the finished product which had been transported
from the basement level.  No positive locking device
and/or braking system is used to prevent the "freight
elevator" from falling to the lower level, in the event
of hoist failure.
Feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct this hazard
includes, but is not limited to:
1.Install, inspect and maintain a manufactured elevator approved
to transport freight.
2.Have the electric chain hoist installed, inspected and
maintained in accordance with the recommendations of a
Registered Professional Engineer (RPE).
3.Install, inspect and maintain the electric chain hoist in
accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.
4.Install, inspect and maintain the electric chain hoist in
accordance with American National Standards Institute ANSI
B30.16-1981 Overhead Hoists (Underhung).
a.The rated load of the hoist shall be legibly marked on
the hoist or load block (Reference ANSI B30.16 - 1981,
Section 16-1.1.1).
b.The hoist shall be marked with identification information
as follows  1)  Name of manufacturer, 2)  Manufacturer's
model or serial number, 3)  Voltage of AC or DC power
supply and phase and frequency of AC power supply, 4)
Circuit ampacity.  (Reference ANSI B30.16 - 1981, Section
16-1.1.3).
c.The supporting structures, including trolleys, monorail,
or crane, if any, shall be designed to withstand the
loads and forces imposed by the hoist (Reference ANSI
B30.16 - 1981, Section 16-1.3.2).
d.Conduct frequent and periodic inspections in accordance
with Sections 16-2.1.1 and 16-2.1.2 of ANSI B30.16 -
1981.
e.Institute a preventative maintenance program based on the
hoist manufacturer's recommendations (Reference ANSI
B30.16 - 1981, Section 16-2.3.1).
f.Institute a welded link chain inspection, replacement and
maintenance program in accordance with ANSI B30.16 -
1981, Section 16-2.5.

Issued

Aug 28, 1998

Abate by

Sep 3, 1998

Penalty

Initial $150 · Current $150

Hazardous substances 1430

Issued

Aug 28, 1998

Abate by

Sep 3, 1998

Hazardous substances 1430

Issued

Aug 28, 1998

Abate by

Sep 3, 1998

Hazardous substances 1430

Issued

Aug 28, 1998

Abate by

Sep 3, 1998

Issued

Aug 28, 1998

Abate by

Sep 3, 1998