OSHA Inspection: COOPER TOOLS, INC.

Issued

Nov 6, 2008

Abate by

Nov 26, 2008

Penalty

Initial $3,150 · Current $2,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

North Carolina General Statute 95-129(1) of the Occupational Safety
and Health Act of North Carolina:  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 molten metal explosions:
a)facility, the employer did not provide adequate
procedures for the charging and melting process of the
induction furnace for the employees to be able to
recognize the inherent hazards of working in close
proximity to molten metal. On June 3, 2008, three
employees incurred first and second degree burns when
they were struck by molten metal that exploded from a
Pillar MK8 induction furnace due to molten metal leaking
from the crucible and contacting the water in the
induction coils.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to
correct these hazards is to provide procedures for operations
of the induction furnace to address potentially serious
hazards and instructions for minimizing the hazards of molten
metal
during the charging and melting process. See
Section 6.3.1 of the ANSI Z241.2 - 1981, Safety Requirements
for Melting and Pouring of Metals in the Metalcasting
Industry, which states that, "the employer shall establish
procedures for furnace charging and additions to molten metal
that minimize employee exposure to recognized hazards."

Issued

Nov 6, 2008

Abate by

Nov 26, 2008

Penalty

Initial $3,150 · Current $2,500 Reduced

Issued

Nov 6, 2008

Abate by

Nov 12, 2008

Penalty

Initial $3,150