OSHA Inspection: RC FAMILY WOOD PRODUCTS, LLC

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Jan 1, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): 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 combustible wood dust deflagration, explosion or other fire hazards while working at or near the dust trailer room and associated upstream equipment which were not adequately designed to prevent or minimize employee exposure in the event of a combustible wood dust deflagration:     RC Family Wood Products, LLC located in Houston, Ohio:  On or about October 30, 2012, the employer did not ensure that employees were protected from combustible wood dust deflagrations, explosions or other fire hazards as a result of:  	  a) Combustible wood dust was being blown directly into the dust room from the discharge of the dust room cyclone.    b) The dust room cyclone lacked a method of deflagration isolation protection between the discharge of the cyclone and the  dust room below.    c) The dust room cyclone lacked a method of deflagration isolation protection between the inlet of the cyclone and the upstream ducting, building, and process equipment.    d) The dust room cyclone lacked a method of explosion protection.    Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to correct this hazard is to comply with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 664, Standard for the Prevention of Fires and Explosions in Wood Processing and Woodworking Facilities, 2012 as described below:    Specifically for instances [a] and [b]  1) ensure that the dust collector discharges into the collection bin in a manner that minimizes the generation of dust clouds and leaks and 2) provide a method of deflagration propagation protection (isolation) between the cyclone collector and the bin such as a material choke (rotary valve) designed to meet the requirements of NFPA 69, Standard on Explosion Prevention Systems, 2008 per NFPA 664 Sections 8.10.3.3 and 8.2.4.1.      Specifically for instance [c]  Provide a method of deflagration propagation protection (isolation) protection between the cyclone collector and the building such as any passive or active isolation method described in NFPA 69 per NFPA 664 Section 8.2.4.1.    Specifically for instance [d]  Provide a method of explosion protection such as deflagration relief venting to a safe location in accordance with NFPA 68 Standard on Explosion Protection by Deflagration Venting or provide chemical deflagration suppression or deflagration pressure containment in accordance with NFPA 69 per NFPA 664 8.2.2.5.3.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Feb 7, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances M102

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1): All places of employment, passageways, storerooms, and service rooms were not kept clean and orderly and in a sanitary condition.    a. RC Family Wood Products, LLC located in Houston, Ohio:  On or about October 30, 2012, the employer did not ensure the horizontal surfaces in the dust room were kept free of accumulations of combustible wood dust.    b. RC Family Wood Products, LLC located in Houston, Ohio:  On or about October 30, 2012, the employer did not ensure horizontal surfaces such as duct work and ceiling beams around the re-saw were kept free of accumulations of combustible wood dust.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Feb 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances M102

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(2): The floor of every workroom was not maintained in a clean and, so far as possible, a dry condition.     a. RC Family Wood Products, LLC located in Houston, Ohio:  On or about October 30, 2012, the employer did not ensure the floor of the dust room was kept free of accumulations of combustible wood dust.    b. RC Family Wood Products, LLC located in Houston, Ohio:  On or about October 30, 2012, the employer did not ensure the floor around the re-saw was kept free of accumulations of combustible wood dust.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,400 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0527

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(1)(iii): The employer did not identify and evaluate the respiratory hazard(s) in the workplace; this evaluation did not include a reasonable estimate of employee exposures to respiratory hazard(s) and an identification of the contaminant's chemical state and physical form.     a. RC Family Wood Products, LLC located in Houston, Ohio:  On or about October 30, 2012, the employer did not ensure personal air monitoring was conducted to determine employee exposures to carbon black when employees were operating the Hawk horizontal band saw to break down pallets.  Employees were exposed to carbon black at an eight hour time weighted average concentration of 4.70 mg/m3 which exceeded the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 3.5 mg/m3.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Feb 7, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,400 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(3)(ii): The point of operation of machines whose operation exposes an employee to injury, was not guarded. The guarding device was not in conformity with any appropriate standards therefor, or, in the absence of applicable specific standards, shall be so designed and constructed as to prevent the operator from having any part of his body in the danger zone during the operating cycle.    a. RC Family Wood Products, LLC located in Houston, Ohio:  On or about October 30, 2012, the employer did not ensure the Hawk horizontal band saw used to break down pallets was properly guarded to prevent employees from placing any part of their body near the moving blade when pushing pallets through the machine.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Sep 13, 2014

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $800 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.307(c):  Equipment, wiring methods, and installations of equipment in hazardous (classified) locations were not intrinsically safe, approved for the hazardous (classified) location, or safe for the hazardous (classified) location.    a. RC Family Wood Products, LLC located in Houston, Ohio:  On or about October 30, 2012, the employer did not ensure the outlets located on the wall in the re-saw area were approved for a Class 2 Division 2 location.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

May 15, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,400 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0527

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2):  An employee's exposure to any substance in Table Z-1, the exposure limit of which is not preceded by a "C", shall not exceed the 8-hour Time Weighted Average given for that substance any 8-hour work shift of a 40-hour work week.    a. RC Family Wood Products, LLC located in Houston, Ohio:  On or about October 30, 2012, employees operating the Hawk horizontal band saw to break down pallets were exposed to carbon black at an eight hour time weighted average concentration of 4.70 mg/m3 which exceeded the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 3.5 mg/m3.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

May 15, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0527

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(e): To achieve compliance with paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section, administrative or engineering controls were not determined and implemented whenever feasible. When such controls were not feasible to achieve full compliance, protective equipment or any other protective measures were not used to keep the exposure of employees to air contaminants within the limits prescribed in this section.     a. RC Family Wood Products, LLC located in Houston, Ohio:  On or about October 30, 2012, the employer did not ensure engineering or administrative controls were implemented when employees operating the Hawk horizontal band saw to break down pallets were exposed to carbon black at an eight hour time weighted average concentration of 4.70 mg/m3 which exceeded the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 3.5 mg/m3.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

May 15, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0527

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(a)(2):  A respirator was not be provided to each employee when such equipment was necessary to protect the health of such employee. The employer did not provide respirators which were applicable and suitable for the purpose intended. The employer shall be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of a respiratory protection program, which shall include the requirements outlined in paragraph (c) of this section. The program shall cover each employee required by this section to use a respirator.    a. RC Family Wood Products, LLC located in Houston, Ohio:  On or about October 30, 2012, the employer did not ensure employees were provided respiratory protection when operating the Hawk horizontal band saw to break down pallets.  The employees were exposed to carbon black at an eight hour time weighted average concentration of 4.70 mg/m3 which exceeded the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 3.5 mg/m3.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Sep 13, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,400 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0527M102

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): The employer did not develop, implement, and maintain at each workplace, a written hazard communication program which at least described how the criteria specified in paragraphs (f), (g), and (h) of this section for labels and other forms of warning, material safety data sheets, and employee information and training will be met, and which also includes the following.    a. RC Family Wood Products, LLC located in Houston, Ohio:  On or about October 30, 2012, the employer did not ensure a hazard communication program was developed and implemented.  Employees working in the facility were exposed to large amounts of combustible wood dust and carbon black while manufacturing and breaking down pallets.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Sep 13, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0527M102

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): Employers did not provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new physical or health hazard the employees had not previously been trained about is introduced into their work area.     a. RC Family Wood Products, LLC located in Houston, Ohio:  On or about October 30, 2012, the employer did not ensure employees working throughout the facility were provided with information and training on the following topics:    1. Any operations in their work areas where hazardous chemicals are present;  2. The location of the hazard communication program and MSDS;  3. Physical and health effects of the chemicals in their work areas;  4. An explanation of the company's labeling system and MSDS.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Feb 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances M102

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.145(c)(3): Safety instruction signs were not used where there was a need for general instructions and suggestions relative to safety measures.    a. RC Family Wood Products, LLC located in Houston, Ohio:  On or about October 30, 2012, the employer did not ensure safety signs were posted outside of the dust room warning of combustible dust hazards.    b. RC Family Wood Products, LLC located in Houston, Ohio:  On or about October 30, 2012, the employer did not ensure safety signs were posted in the re-saw department warning of combustible dust hazards.