OSHA Inspection: MACK TRUCKS, INC., MACUNGIE ASSEMBLY PLANT

Issued

Apr 18, 2008

Abate by

May 21, 2008

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $5,000

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 being struck and/or crushed by carts and/or chassis coming
loose from the tow
conveyor (Transfer Line):
a)  Control stations were not clearly marked or labeled to indicate the
function they
controlled.
1)  Transfer Line, Pre-assembly, Column G36 -- an emergency stop button (on
the east side of the column) for the Transfer Line was not labeled, and an
emergency stop and a restart button (on the north side of the column) was
improperly labeled "Cab Paint Area" at the time of an accident, on or about
11/2/07.
2)  Transfer Line, Pre-assembly, by the desk -- an emergency stop button
(on the
east side of the support structure) and the "send" button which activated
the
interface between the transfer and G lines (on the west side of the support
structure) were not labeled, on or about 1/23/08.
b)  Inspection(s) of conveyor(s) that had been stopped because of an
emergency were not
made and the cause of the stoppage determined.
1)  Transfer Line, Pre-assembly, by Column G36 -- the rear cart and chassis
came off the tow line conveyor (Transfer Line), and the line was stopped
using
the emergency stop controls.  The Transfer Line was re-started before an
inspection had been made and the cart/chassis fell further, causing more
damage
and exposure to being struck, on or about 11/2/07.
c)  Training, including instruction in operation under normal conditions
and emergency
situations, had not been provided to all employees.
1)  Transfer Line -- some employees received training on emergency stops,
other
employees had received none at all.  There is no verification that
rotating and
floater employees are trained, on or about 1/23/08.
d)  A maintenance program was not established to ensure that conveyor
components were
maintained in a condition that did not constitute a hazard to personnel.
1)  Transfer and G Lines -- although there is a company policy to pull 15
carts
from the Production Lines each week for cleaning, greasing, inspection, and
repairs, there is no evidence that this occurred, on or about 1/23/08.
e)  Routine inspections were not conducted to ensure that all safety
features were retained
and functioned properly.
1)  Transfer Line -- there were no inspections of the emergency stop
devices, on
or about 11/2/07 or 1/23/08.
Among other methods, one feasible and accepted method to correct this
hazard is to
correct these deficiencies is to follow ASME B20.1-2006, "Safety Standard
for
Conveyors and Related Equipment".
Abatement certification and documentation required within 10 days after
abatement date.
The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete,
the date and
method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives
were informed
of this abatement.  Abatement documentation shall include documents
demonstrating that
abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of
equipment,
photographic or video evidence of abatement or other written records.