OSHA Inspection: GENERAL SHALE BRICK

Issued

Oct 1, 2004

Abate by

Oct 6, 2004

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

Section 40.1-51.1(A), Code of Virginia:  The employer, General Shale
Brick, did not
furnish to each of its employees safe employment and a place of employment
which was
free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death
or serious
physical harm in that employees were exposed to fatal crushing hazards
while working
around the Hopper Machine.
On May 11, 2004, at Plant # 37, in the Grinding Room, employees were
removing
soil from the Hopper Machine in order to repair a broken chain pulley.  A
front
end loader was brought in to unload soil from the top of the hopper to
reduce the
amount of soil that would have to be unloaded by hand.  Three employees had
been at the front of the Hopper Machine unloading soil by shovel, but moved
away from the machine when the front end loader entered the area.  One of
the
three employees re-entered the front of the Hopper Machine to apparently
place a
piece of black plastic for the employees to work from.  A steel plate fell
approximately 6 feet from the side of the Hopper onto the employee who had
re-entered the area.  The employee died from his injuries.
The steel plate that fell had been welded in place approximately two weeks
prior
to the fatal accident by a maintenance employee.   A post-accident
structural
inspection of the steel plate and the four welds that held the plate in
place revealed
that there did not appear to be any joint preparation for the welds, that
there was
poor weld quality, that weld length and placement did not meet American
Welding Society requirements, and that the maintenance worker who had
previously welded the steel plate to the Hopper Machine had no specific
welding
qualification or training as recognized by the American Welding Society
(AWS).
One feasible way to abate the above hazard would be for the employer to
assure
that welding operations involving the adding or modifying of structural
metal
components to buildings or machinery meet recognized procedures in AWS
D1.1-02
(Part 8 Strengthening and Repairing Existing Structures); and that only
fully
qualified and trained welders be utilized in such welding operations
(reference
AWS D1.1-02 (Part 4 Qualifications)).

Issued

Oct 1, 2004

Abate by

Oct 6, 2004

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $500 Reduced

Issued

Oct 1, 2004

Abate by

Dec 31, 2004

Issued

Oct 1, 2004

Abate by

Dec 31, 2004

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $500 Reduced