OSHA Inspection: EASTERN ETCHING & MANUFACTURING

Issued

Jun 25, 2003

Abate by

Jul 28, 2003

Penalty

Initial $875 · Current $438 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 in that
employees were exposed
to:
THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS NOTED DURING A 5/15/03 FOLLOW UP INSPECTION
OF THE ALUMINUM DUST COLLECTION SYSTEM AND RELOCATED DUST
COLLECTOR WERE CONTRIBUTING TO POTENTIAL FIRE AND EXPLOSION
HAZARDS POSED BY ALUMINUM CONTAINING METAL DUSTS;
a) AN AIR MOVING DEVICE (FAN) WAS ADDED TO DUCTWORK LEADING TO THE
DRY TYPE ALUMINUM DUST COLLECTOR WHICH IS OF UNKNOWN
SPECIFICATION, AND MAY PRESENT BOTH IGNITION SOURCES AND INTERFERE
WITH THE DESIGN EFFICIENCY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE DOWN STREAM
DUST COLLECTOR AS WELL AS CREATE ADDITIONAL EXPLOSION HAZARDS.
b) SMALL SHED OUTSIDE OF BUILDING 201: A 120VAC DUPLEX ELECTRICAL
OUTLET AND A HIGHER VOLTAGE SERVICE OUTLET PROVIDING POWER FOR THE
ALUMINUM DUST COLLECTION EQUIPMENT WAS SUBJECT TO METAL DUST
ACCUMULATIONS WHICH PRESENTS A FIRE AND IGNITION SOURCE HAZARD.
c) SMALL SHED OUTSIDE OF BUILDING 201; THE SHED HOUSING THE ALUMINUM
DUST COLLECTOR WAS LOCATED ONLY SEVERAL FEET AWAY FROM GLASS
WINDOWS IN BUILDING 201, AND IN THE EVENT OF AN EXPLOSION MAY PRESENT
PROJECTILE HAZARDS TO EMPLOYEES WORKING NEAR WINDOWS.