OSHA Inspection: AMERICAN SHOWA, INC.

Issued

Mar 27, 2012

Abate by

May 8, 2012

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $5,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(d)(3):   All energy isolating devices that were needed to control the energy to the machine or equipment were not physically located and operated in such a manner as to isolate the machine or equipment from the energy source(s):  (a) On or about October 13, 2011, in the Casting area at the #4 500 ton Die Casting Machine, a technician was working inside the robot and trim press guarding enclosures to repair the take out table of the trim press and did not de-energize all energy sources and relied on the gate interlock.

Issued

Mar 27, 2012

Abate by

May 8, 2012

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(d)(4)(i):   Lockout or tagout devices were not affixed to each energy isolating device by authorized employees:  (a) On or about October 13, 2011, in the Casting area on #4 500 ton Die Casting Machine, a technician was working inside the robot and trim press guarding enclosure and did not lockout all energy sources.

Issued

Mar 27, 2012

Abate by

May 8, 2012

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $5,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1):   Machine guarding was not provided to protect operator(s) and other employees from hazard(s) created by rotating parts, pinch points, moving parts, etc.:  (a) In the Casting area, on the backsides of #1  and #2 250 ton Die Casting Machines were inadequately guarded in that there were open areas to the left side of the die guards.  (b)  In the Casting area, on #1 250 ton Die Casting machine, the automatic/robotic pouring arm pinch points were inadequately guarded in that the guard was left open and not interlocked or secured.  (c) In the Assembly area (Clean room), on the ETO line 2 cylinder end machine, the pinch points created by the nut wrench closing cycle was inadequately guarded in that the two hand buttons were not protected from accidental activation as they were not provided with protective rings or shrouds, plus did not require concurrent activation.  (d)  In the Assembly area (Clean room), on the R/V flare machine #1 and #2, the pinch areas created by the upper clamps were inadequately guarded in that the light curtains would not stop the closing of the upper clamps when the light curtains were broken.  (e)  In the Assembly area (Clean room), on the Vane pump assembly machine, the pinch area created by the upper clamp closing was inadequately guarded in that the light curtain would not stop the closing of the upper clamp when the light curtain was broken.

Issued

Mar 27, 2012

Abate by

May 8, 2012

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $2,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.304(g)(5):   The paths to ground from circuits, equipment, and enclosures were not permanent, continuous, and effective:  (a)  In the Casting area, by the aisle by the 650 ton furnace, there was a floor pedestal fan that was missing the ground prong.  (b)  In the Casting area by Heat Treat, there was a large floor fan that was missing the ground prong.  (c)  In the Casting area by the buffers, there was a pedestal fan plugged into an extension cord that had the ground prong missing and a small floor fan that had the ground prong missing.

Issued

Mar 27, 2012

Abate by

May 8, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(1)(ii):   Unused openings in boxes, cabinets, or fittings were not effectively closed:  (a)  In the Casting area, there was a 208 VAC circuit breaker panel box by the 650 ton furnace and press fan that had an opening missing a knockout plus another knockout was part way bent in.  (b)  In the Clean room assembly area on the ETO assembly line #1, the control box for the cylinder end assembly had an unused opening in the top of the box.  (c)  In the Casting area on the side of the Knockout/Shakeout machine, there was an electrical box that had the top knockout pushed in.

Issued

Mar 27, 2012

Abate by

May 8, 2012

Penalty

Initial $3,000 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(g)(1)(iv):   Flexible cords and/ or cables were used for purposes prohibited by paragraphs (A) through (F) of 29 CFR 1910.305(g)(1)(iv):  (a) In the Casting area by #1 500 ton DCM, there was an orange extension cord used to power a fan and the cord was attached to conduit and other building structures with wire ties and used as a substitute for fixed wiring.

Issued

Mar 27, 2012

Abate by

May 8, 2012

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $5,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.333(a)(2):    If the exposed live parts are not de-energized (i.e., for reasons of increased or additional hazards or infeasibility), other safety-related work practices shall be used to protect employees who may be exposed to the electrical hazards involved. Such work practices shall protect employees against contact with energized circuit parts directly with any part of their body or indirectly through some other conductive object. The work practices that are used shall be suitable for the conditions under which the work is to be performed and for the voltage level of the exposed electric conductors or circuit parts. Specific work practice requirements are detailed in paragraph(c) of this section.  (a) On October 12, 2011, a maintenance employee performed trouble shooting/voltage testing on the conveyor system for the scrap on #2 (500 ton) Die Cast machine which was 208 VAC and electrical safety-related work practices were not employed such as the use of appropriate personal protective equipment when the tasks required electrical power to be present and could not be de-energized and locked out.

Issued

Mar 27, 2012

Abate by

May 8, 2012

Penalty

Initial $55,000 · Current $5,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.332(b)(1):   Employees were not trained in and familiar with the safety-related work practices required by 1910.331 through 1910.335 that pertained to their respective job assignments:  (a) Maintenance employees were not trained and not familiar with the appropriate personal protective equipment and special precautionary techniques, insulating and shielding materials, and insulated tools that are necessary when performing tasks such as trouble shooting and voltage testing.

Issued

Mar 27, 2012

Abate by

May 8, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.333(c)(2):   Qualified persons were not capable of working safely on energized circuits and were not familiar with the proper use of special precautionary techniques, personal protective equipment, insulating and shielding materials, and insulated tools:  (a)  Maintenance employees were not capable of working safely on energized circuits to perform voltage testing and troubleshooting as they were not familiar with the proper use of special precautionary techniques, personal protective equipment, insulating and shielding materials, and insulated tools.

Issued

Mar 27, 2012

Abate by

May 8, 2012

Penalty

Initial $55,000 · Current $30,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.335(a)(1)(i):   Employees working in areas where there were potential electrical hazards were not provided with electrical protective equipment that was appropriate for the specific parts of the body that needed to be protected and for the work being performed:  (a) On October 12, 2011 and prior to that time, maintenance employee(s) that performed troubleshooting and voltage testing were not provided with and did not use electrically insulated gloves and arc rated face shields.

Issued

Mar 27, 2012

Abate by

May 8, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(f):     The entry permit that documented compliance with this section and authorized entry into a permit space did not identify the requirements in (f)(1)-(15) of this section:    (a)  The entry permits used confusing wording and personnel categories that are not in the regulation or standard such as, but not limited to, "Person in charge" and "Job Supervisor" instead of "Entry Supervisor"  and did not have a space to identify the entrant.  (b)  The entry permit from 2/16/11 for entry into the Broach pit Rack line #2, was erroneously filled out, in that it had the same person listed as "Person in charge", the "Stand-by person", who was also the person who was the entrant.   Also, there were no atmospheric checks recorded, only "N/A" with a line marked down below it, when monitoring checks were made with a four gas meter.