OSHA Inspection: PRO PALLET, INC.

Issued

Jan 24, 2012

Abate by

Feb 14, 2012

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $900 Reduced

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 were exposed to amputation hazards.    (a)Pro Pallet, Inc. @ 920 E. Collins, Eaton, CO 80615: On and before October 31st, 2011, the employer did not ensure employees operating woodworking machinery were provided training to prevent employees from coming into contact with the point of operation of the woodworking equipment in operation. Employees operate pallet dismantlers, circular cross cut saws, cross cut chain saws, resaws, and a shaper.The employer did not provide basic machine guard safety training involving the wood working equipment. Hazards include, but are not limited to, woodworking equipment missing the manufactured guard, guard removal, and guards not being used effectively or as designed. These conditions exposed employees to cuts, crushing hazards or amputation hazards.    Abatement Note: Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to control this hazard is to follow ANSI O1.1-2004, Woodworking Machinery - Safety Requirements, paragraph 4.1.7 Manufacturer-Employer states, "It shall be the responsibility of the employer to maintain equipment and provide training to employees so as to comply with the requirements of this standard."

Issued

Jan 24, 2012

Abate by

Feb 14, 2012

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $900 Reduced

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 crushing hazards as a result of being ejected from the industrial vehicle.    (a)Pro Pallet, Inc. @ 920 E. Collins, Eaton, CO 80615: On and before October 31st, 2011, the employer did not ensure employees were utilizing seat belts while operating the Daewoo G15S and Daewoo GS20C forklifts. Employee use the forklifst to transfer pallets from the recycle facility to the storage yard and into transport trailers. The condition exposed employees to being ejected from the the forklift while operating on the west dock of the Recycle building. The height of the dock was approximately 45 inches.       Abatement Note: Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to control this hazard is to follow ANSI/ASME B56.1-2000, Safety Standard for Low Lift and High Lift Trucks, paragraph 5.3.19 states, "An active operator protection device or system, when provided, shall be used. "Operator protection in the event of tip-over is intended to reduce the risk of entrapment of the head and torso between the truck and the ground but may not protect the operator from possible injury."

Issued

Jan 24, 2012

Abate by

Feb 14, 2012

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $900 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.157(g)(1): An educational program was not provided for all employees to familiarize them with the general principles of fire extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage fire fighting:    (a) Pro Pallet, Inc. @ 920 E. Collins, Eaton, CO 80615: On and before October 31st, 2011, the employer did not provide an educational program to familiarize employees with the general principles of fire extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage fire fighting was not provided at least annually to all employees.

Issued

Jan 24, 2012

Abate by

Feb 14, 2012

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $900 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)(i): The employer shall ensure that each powered industrial truck operator is competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely, as demonstrated by the successful completion of the training and evaluation specified in this paragraph (l).    (a)  Pro Pallet Inc. @ 920 E. Collins, Eaton, CO 80615: On and before October 31, 2011, the employer did not ensure that the employees were trained in the safe operation of powered industrial trucks, in that operators were not trained to use the Daewoo, models G15S, and GC20C. This condition exposed the employee to the hazard of improper forklift operation.    Abatement Note:  Training shall consist of a combination of formal instruction (e.g., lecture, discussion, interactive computer learning, video tape, written material), practical training (demonstrations performed by the trainer and practical exercises performed by the trainee), and evaluation of the operator's performance in the workplace.

Issued

Jan 24, 2012

Abate by

Feb 14, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,400 · Current $1,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(3)(ii): Point(s) of operation of machinery were not guarded to prevent employee(s) from having any part of their body in the danger operating cycle(s):    (a)Pro Pallet, Inc. @ 920 E. Collins, Eaton, CO 80615: On and before October 31st, 2011, the employer did not ensure that the GBN Trailblazer Pallet Nailing System located in the new shop, was adequately guarded at the point of operation. The hinged physical guard was in the "up" position while employees were working in close proximity to the point of operation. This condition exposed employees to an amputation hazard in that hands and fingers were exposed to the automatic nailing machinery.

Issued

Jan 24, 2012

Abate by

Feb 14, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,400 · Current $1,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.213(d)(1): Circular handfed crosscut table saw(s) were not guarded by an automatically adjusting hood which completely enclosed that portion of the saw above the material being cut:    (a) Pro Pallet, Inc. @ 920 E. Collins, Eaton, CO 80615: On and before October 31, 2011, the employer did not ensure that the Trim Track guard operated properly, in that, the guard was static and was not able to adjust to the thicknesss of the stock and remained in the same position after the cut, exposing approximately 2.5' of the blade. The Trim Track is located in the recycling shop.This condition exposed employees to amputation hazards.    (b) Pro Pallet, Inc. @ 920 E. Collins, Eaton, CO 80615: On and before October 31, 2011, the employer did not ensure that the chop saw or circular cross cut saw's guard operated properly, in that, the guard was static and was not able to adjust to the thicknesss of the stock and remained in the same position after the cut. The chop saw is located in the recycling shop. This condition exposed employees to amputation hazards.    (c) Pro Pallet, Inc. @ 920 E. Collins, Eaton, CO 80615: On and before October 31, 2011, the employer did not ensure that the Powermatic III chop saw or circular cross cut saw's guard operated properly, in that, the guard was static and was not able to adjust to the thicknesss of the stock and remained in the same position after the cut. The chop saw is located in the new shop. This condition exposed employees to amputation hazards.

Issued

Jan 24, 2012

Abate by

Feb 14, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.213(m)(1): The cutting heads of each wood shaper, hand-fed panel raiser, or other similar machine not automatically fed, shall be enclosed with a cage or adjustable guard so designed as to keep the operator's hand away from the cutting edge. The diameter of circular shaper guards shall be not less than the greatest diameter of the cutter.     (a)Pro Pallet, Inc. @ 920 E. Collins, Eaton, CO 80615: On and before October 31st, 2011, the employer did not ensure the cutting head of the Powermatic shaper, located in the new shop, was enclosed with a cage or an adjustable guard so designed as to keep the operator's hand away from the cutting edge. The condition exposed employees to cut and amputation hazards while operating the shaper without the guard.

Issued

Jan 24, 2012

Abate by

Feb 14, 2012

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $900 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(2)(i): Pull  boxes, junction boxes, and outlet boxes in completed installations did not have a cover, faceplate, or fixture canopy approved for the purpose:    (a)Pro Pallet, Inc. @ 920 E. Collins, Eaton, CO 80615: On and before October 31st, 2011, the employer did not ensure that the energized outlet located in the bathroom in the recycle building had an effective cover plate. The outlet box was missing a large portion of the faceplate covering the box which exposed employees to live electrical equipment within the box. This condition exposed employees to electrical shock and electrocution hazards.    (b)Pro Pallet, Inc. @ 920 E. Collins, Eaton, CO 80615: On and before October 31st, 2011, the employer did not ensure that the energized junction box located near the conveyor and in close proximity to the trim track in the recycle building had an effective cover plate. The junction box was missing the faceplate covering the box which exposed employees to live electrical equipment. This condition exposed employees to electrical shock and electrocution hazards.    (c)Pro Pallet, Inc. @ 920 E. Collins, Eaton, CO 80615: On and before October 31st, 2011, the employer did not ensure that the  junction box located near the two-man pallet dismantler on the north side of the recycle building had an effective cover plate. The junction box was missing the faceplate covering the box which exposed employees to live electrical equipment. This condition exposed employees to electrical shock and electrocution hazards.    (d)Pro Pallet, Inc. @ 920 E. Collins, Eaton, CO 80615: On and before October 31st, 2011, the employer did not ensure that the 220V outlet box located on the circular cross cut saw or chop saw within the recycle building had an effective cover plate. This condition exposed employees to electrical shock and electrocution hazards.

Issued

Jan 24, 2012

Abate by

Mar 14, 2012

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $3,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.213(r)(4):  Suitable guard(s) were not provided to reduce to a minimum the hazard due to the point of operation of the Holtec Transcut II Station and two one-man pallet dismantlers:    (a) Pro Pallet, Inc. at 920 E. Collins, Eaton, CO 80615:  On and before December 31st, 2011, the employer did not ensure employees were protected from injury, in that,  the point of operation on the Holtec Transcut II Station was not guarded at the control station. The employee is exposed to the chain saw when the it comes back to zero state in close proximity to the operator. The physical guard located at the operator's station protecting the employee at the controls from coming into contact with the saw. This condition exposed employees to cut and amputation hazards.    (b)Pro Pallet, Inc. @ 920 E. Collins, Eaton, CO 80615: On and before October 31st, 2011, the employer did not ensure that the operation of the two one-man pallet dismantlers were suitably guarded to reduce to a minimum the hazard of the horizontal saw blade. Employees operated the two one-man dismantlers to cut nails securing wooden pallet boards. The operators pull each pallet toward the band saw blade with their hands. The two pallet dismantlers were not guarded adequately. This condition exposed employees to cuts and an amputation hazard.    Pro Pallet, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of the same or substantially similar condition of this Occupational Safety and Health Standard 29 CFR 1926.213(b)(13) which was contained in OSHA Inspection Number 313414617, Citation Number 1, Item 3 issued on January 15th, 2010, and became Final Order on February 5th, 2010, with respect to a workplace located at 920 E. Collins, Eaton, CO 80615.

Issued

Jan 24, 2012

Abate by

Feb 14, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,200 · Current $2,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(1)(ii): Unused openings in boxes, cabinents, or fittings were not effectively closed:      (a) Pro Pallet, Inc. @ 920 E. Collins, Eaton, CO 80615: On and before October 31st, 2011, the employer did not ensure  openings on the disconnect electrical box which provided electrical energy to the Holtec Transcut II, were effectively closed. The disconnect box had two holes approximately 2"x 2" in diameter, exposing employees to 480V live electrical equipment within the disconnect box. This condition exposed employees to electrical shock and electrocution hazards.     Pro Pallet, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of the same or substantially similar condition of this Occupational Safety and Health Standard 29 CFR 1926.305(b)(1)(ii) which was contained in OSHA Inspection Number 313414617, Citation Number 1, Item 4(a) issued on January 15th, 2010, and became Final Order on February 5th, 2010, with respect to a workplace located at 920 E. Collins, Eaton, CO 80615.