OSHA Inspection: MERRITT EQUIPMENT COMPANY

Issued

Oct 7, 2011

Abate by

Dec 16, 2011

Penalty

Initial $4,250 · Current $2,550 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i):  Procedures were not developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees were engaged in activities covered by this section:          a) Merritt Equipment Company at 9339 Brighton Road, Henderson, CO 80640:  On or before 7/5/11, the employer did not develop, document, and utilize specific lockout tagout procedures for equipment involving multiple energy sources, including the following equipment:     	1)  The 20' Cincinnati 750 H hydraulic press brake,                    2)  The 250 ton Accurpress hydraulic press brake,                    3)  The 230 ton Cincinnati hydraulic press brake,                    4)  The 16' Cincinnati mechanical shear,         	5)  The 10' Cincinatti hydraulic shear,                    6)  The Wayne mechanical power press, and                    7)  The aluminum miter saw.    Conditions exposed employees to amputation hazards.    Abatement note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (See enclosed "Sample Abatement-Certification Letter.    Abatement note:  1910.147(c)(4)(ii) provides that the procedures shall clearly and specifically outline the scope, purpose, authorization, rules, and techniques to be utilized in the control of hazardous energy, and the means to enforce compliance.    Abatement note:  Examples of energy sources that may need to be addressed include gravity, motion, electrical, chemical, radiation, heat/cold, biological, pneumatic, and pressure.

Issued

Oct 7, 2011

Abate by

Oct 31, 2011

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(6)(i):  The employer did not conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure at least annually to ensure that the procedure and the requirement of this standard were being followed:         a) Merritt Equipment Company at 9339 Brighton Road, Henderson, CO 80640:  On or before 7/5/11, the employer did not conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedures at least annually.  Conditions exposed employees to amputation hazards.    Abatement note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (See enclosed "Sample Abatement-Certification Letter.    Abatement note:  1910.147(c)(6)(ii) provides that the employer shall certify that the periodic inspections have been performed.  The certification shall identify the machine or equipment on which the energy control procedure was being utilized, the date of the inspection, the employees included in the inspection, and the person performing the inspection.

Issued

Oct 7, 2011

Abate by

Nov 11, 2011

Penalty

Initial $3,400 · Current $2,040 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(3)(ii):  Points of operation of machinery were not guarded to prevent employees from having any part of their body in the danger zones during operating cycles:         a) Merritt Equipment Company at 9339 Brighton Road, Henderson, CO 80640:  On or before 7/5/11, the employer did not ensure that the following machinery was guarded at the points of operation:         	1)  The Muhr and Bender model KLH 7001760 hydraulic punch, serial number 0167395335259, was not guarded in the danger zone of the punch; and                    2)  The Rucker Yukem tube bending machine was not guarded at its point of operation, and the 6" long lever used to activate the machine was not guarded to prevent inadvertent startup.    Conditions exposed employees to amputation hazards.    Abatement note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (See enclosed "Sample Abatement-Certification Letter.

Issued

Oct 7, 2011

Abate by

Nov 11, 2011

Penalty

Initial $3,400 · Current $2,040 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.335(a)(1)(i):  Employees working in areas where there were potential electrical hazards were not using electrical protective equipment that was appropriate for the specific parts of the body to be protected and for the work to be performed:         a)  Merritt Equipment Company at 9339 Hwy 85, Henderson, CO 80640:  On or before 7/5/11, the employer did not ensure that maintenance employees wore appropriate electrical protective equipment when performing voltage testing on energized 120 volt electrical circuits.  The employees performed voltage testing without wearing:  a) rubber insulating gloves, b) arc-rated long sleeve shirts,  c) arc rated pants, d) arc-rated coverall, and e) a face shield with a minimum arc rating of 4.  Conditions exposed employees to electrical shock and arc flash hazards.    Abatement note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (See enclosed "Sample Abatement-Certification Letter.    Abatement note:  NFPA 70E, 2009 Edition, Table 130.7(C)(9) and Table 130.7(C)(10) categorize activities into risk groups, and describe protective clothing and personal protective equipment associated for each group.  This criteria provides that if voltage testing were being performed on energized 120 volt equipment, the personal protective equipment should satisfy an arc-rating of 4 based on the Hazard/Risk Category of 1, and furthermore, discusses the need for rubber insulating gloves.

Issued

Oct 7, 2011

Abate by

Nov 11, 2011

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.32(a)(1): The employer did not review the OSHA 300 Log to verify that the entries were complete and accurate, and correct any deficiencies identified:        a)  Merritt Equipment Company at 9339 Hwy 85, Henderson, CO 80640:  On or before 7/5/11, the employer did not review the OSHA 300 Logs for the years 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 to verify that the entries were complete and accurate.  The amounts reflected in the summaries did not equal the column totals in 2007 and 2009.  The descriptions of injuries in column F did not, in some instances, describe the object or substance that directly injured the employees or made them ill.  Conditions resulted in unclear reporting, classifying, and summarizing of injuries.    Abatement note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (See enclosed "Sample Abatement-Certification Letter.

Issued

Oct 7, 2011

Abate by

Nov 11, 2011

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.179(l)(3)(i):  Unsafe conditions disclosed during the frequent or periodic inspections required by 29 CFR 1910.179(j) were not corrected before operation of the cranes was resumed:        a)  Merritt Equipment Company at 9339 Hwy 85, Henderson, CO 80640:  On or before 7/5/11, the employer did not ensure that deficiencies identified in the frequent or periodic inspections of the overhead hoists were corrected prior to use of the cranes resumed.  The pendent on hoist # B6-6 included cracked housing, with exposure to 120 volt wiring, and the pendent was not immediately repaired.  In addition, the periodic inspections included a number of deficiencies, including several coded as a 5 - "Repair or Replace," or as a 6 - "Code Violation," that were not accounted for in determinations of whether the deficiencies warranted repair.  Conditions exposed employees to struck by and electrical shock hazards.    Abatement note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (See enclosed "Sample Abatement-Certification Letter.