OSHA Inspection: HALCO PLUMBING & HEATING INC.

Issued

Mar 6, 2002

Abate by

Mar 19, 2002

Penalty

Initial $875 · 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 the hazard of being pulled into and crushed by the
rotating parts of a pipe
threading machine:
a)Mezzanine, on or about 2/21/02:  Ridgid Pipe Threader, Model No. 300,
activated by a manually operated on/off switch that would not automatically
shut the machine off should the operator be inadvertently caught up in the
rotating parts.
Among other methods, one feasible method to reduce this hazard is to
install
a momentary contact device (deadman foot switch) to control power input to
the machine.  This device would automatically stop the machine and the
rotating parts if the operator's foot was removed from the foot switch for
any
reason.
Abatement certification must be submitted for this item.