OSHA Inspection: SOUTHERN STAINLESS EQUIPMENT CO.

Issued

Nov 26, 2002

Abate by

Dec 29, 2002

Penalty

Initial $375 · Current $375

General-duty citation text

Virginia Code 40.1-51.1:  The employer, Southern Stainless Equipment
Company, did not furnish employment and a
place of employment which was free from recognized hazards that were
causing or likely to cause death or serious
physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to an unguarded
point of operation on a Cincinnati 150 ton
press brake, and a Wysong 55 ton press brake both located in the Sheer &
Press area.  The point of operation was not
guarded by location by stock being piece bent, nor by any other type of
point of operation devices, and the two-person
operation of these press brakes did not provide for concurrent operation
of each station to cycle the machine.
The Cincinnati 150 ton and Wysong 55 ton press brakes were operated by a
single mechanical foot pedal for cycling
the machines.  The employer had installed plexiglass guards on the outer
edges of the press brakes, to protect the
operator and helper from the unused portion of the die.  The operator and
helpers  hands are often within 12 inches of
the point of operation, exposing them to potential amputation.
The American National Standards Institute under ANSI  B11.3, Power Press
Brakes, Section 4.4 , Special Purpose
mechanical press brakes, requires concurrent operation of each operator's
station to place the ram in motion.
"One feasible and acceptable abatement method, among others, to correct
this hazard is to provide a foot switch for
each operator that would require concurrent operation for the press brake
to cycle, and to install a point of operation
device such as a photo-electronic presence sensing device, pullbacks,
restraints, or a fixed barrier guard.