OSHA Inspection: SUWANEE LUMBER COMPANY

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Mar 18, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,300 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(1):     The employer did not establish and maintain an audiometric testing program as provided by 29 CFR 1910.95(g) by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels:    a) Suwanee Lumber Company - An employee operating the planer was exposed to noise level of 94.6 dBA, exceeding the action level of 85 dBA. The exposure was obtained from sample taken over 472 minutes, which represented the employees 8 hour workday. An audiometric testing program was not maintained, on or about 12/6/12.    b) Suwanee Lumber Company - An employee loading lumber onto the conveyor feeding the planner was exposed to a projected noise level of 89 dBA, exceeding the action level of 85 dBA. The exposure was obtained from sample taken over 407 minutes, which represented the employees 8 hour workday. An audiometric testing program was not maintained, on or about 12/6/12.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Mar 18, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(k)(1):     The employer did not train each employee who is exposed to noise at or above an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.95(k). The employer did not institute a training program and ensure employee participation in the program:    a) Suwanee Lumber Company - An employee operating the planer the planner was exposed to noise level of 94.6 dBA, exceeding the action level of 85 dBA. The exposure was obtained from sample taken over 472 minutes, which represented the employees 8 hour workday. A noise training program was not established, on or about 12/6/12.    b) Suwanee Lumber Company - An employee loading lumber onto the conveyor feeding the planner was exposed to a projected noise level of 89 dBA, exceeding the action level of 85 dBA. The exposure was obtained from sample taken over 407 minutes, which represented the employees 8 hour workday. A noise training program was not established, on or about 12/6/12.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Mar 18, 2013

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(1):     The employer did not establish a program consisting of an energy control procedure, employee training and periodic inspections to ensure that before any employee performed any servicing or maintenance on a machine or equipment where the unexpected energizing, startup or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the machine or equipment shall be isolated from the energy source and rendered inoperative:    Suwanee Lumber Company - Maintenance and repairs were made by the mechanic and other employees on equipment such as but not limted to the planer, forklifts, faceplate, and crown molding machines. The planer had electrical and hydraulic energies and the the face plate and crown molding had pneumatic and electrical energies. A lockout/tag out program had not been developed and implemented, on or about 12/5/12.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Mar 18, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)(i):     The employer did not 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):    Suwanee Lumber Company - An employee was allowed to operate the sit down forklift prior to completing training and evaluation as required by this section, on or about 12/5/12.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Mar 18, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(4)(iii):     An evaluation of each powered industrial truck operator's performance was not being conducted at least once every three years:    Suwanee Lumber Company - Employees operating forklifts were certified in 2005. A re-evaluation was not performed every three years, on or about 12/5/12.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Feb 25, 2013

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.213(a)(9):     All belts, pulleys, gears, shafts, and moving parts were not guarded in accordance with the specific requires of 1910.219:    a) Suwanee Lumber Company - In the crown molding area, employees were potentially exposed to an amputation hazard from the two unguarded chain and sprockets on the lower portion of the face plate machine, at approximately 18 and 24 inches from the floor, on or about 12/6/12.    In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(c), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET).    b) Suwanee Lumber Company - In the crown molding area, employees were potentially exposed to an amputation hazard from the unguarded chain and sprocket located on the top right side of the face plate machine, at approximately 47 inches from the floor, on or about 12/6/12.    No abatement certification or documentation is required for this item.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(f)(3):     Sprocket wheels and chains which were seven -7 feet or less above floors or platforms were not enclosed:    Suwanee Lumber Company - At the mill, the conveyor used to feed the planer had an unguarded chain and sprocket located 27" from the floor, on or about 12/4/12.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Feb 22, 2013

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.213(b)(7):     Feeder attachment(s) did not have feed roll(s) or other moving parts so covered or guarded as to protect the operators from hazardous points:    Suwanee Lumber Company - In the crown molding area, employees were potentially exposed to a pinch hazard from the feed rolls on the face plate machine, on or about 12/6/12.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Feb 25, 2013

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.213(g)(1):     Swing cutoff saw(s) were not provided with an automatically adjusting hood that completely enclosed the upper half of the saw, the arbor end, and the point of operation at all positions of the saw:    Suwanee Lumber Company - The lower portion of the blade of the swing cut off saw used by employees to cut lumber was not guarded, on or about 12/5/12.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Feb 25, 2013

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.213(r)(3):     The point of operation on combination or universal woodworking machines was not guarded:    a) Suwanee Lumber Company - In the crown molding area, employees were potentially exposed to an amputation hazard from the open side of the Cosmec saw used to cut lumber, on or about 12/6/12.    b) Suwanee Lumber Company - In the crown molding area, employees were exposed to an amputation hazard from the unguarded saw the blade located at the end of the face plate saw, on or about 12/6/12.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Feb 25, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.242(b):     Compressed air used for cleaning purposes was not reduced to less than 30 p.s.i and without effective chip guarding and personal protective equipment:    a) Suwanee Lumber Company - Employees working as straight liner and stacking lumber were using compressed air for cleaning. The air pressure was measured at approximately 50 p.s.i., on or about 12/5/12.    b) Suwanee Lumber Company - An employee working loading lumber onto the planner was using compressed air for cleaning. The air pressure was measured at approximately 50 p.s.i., on or about 12/5/12.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Mar 18, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1):     The employer did not develop, implement, and/or maintain at the workplace a written hazard communication program which describes how the criteria specified in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f), (g), and (h) will be met:    Suwanee Lumber Company - Employees are exposed to dust from the handling of hardwood, and from oil, grease, metals, welding rods and gasses used during maintenance and repairs. A written hazard communication program had not been developed and implemented, on or about 12/6/12.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Mar 18, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(1):     The employer did not have a material safety data sheet for each hazardous chemical in use:    Suwanee Lumber Company - Employees are exposed to dust from the handling of hardwood, and from oil, grease, metals, welding rods and gasses used during maintenance and repairs. Material Safety Data Sheets for each product covered by the standard were not maintained, on or about 12/6/12.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Mar 18, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1):     Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:    Suwanee Lumber Company - Employees are exposed to dust from the handling of hardwood, and from oil, grease, metals, welding rods and gasses used during maintenance and repairs. Information and training as required by this standard was not provided, on or about 12/6/12.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Feb 25, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1):     The employer did not assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE):    Suwanee Lumber Company - Employees operating saws, working as a straight liner, and stacking lumber were exposed to injuries to the eyes from the dust while operating saws and using compressed air for cleaning. A PPE hazard assessment was not conducted and certified, on or about 12/5/12.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Feb 25, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.133(a)(1):     Protective eye equipment was not required where there was a reasonable probability of injury that could be prevented by such equipment:    Suwanee Lumber Company - Employees operating saws, working as a straight liner, and stacking lumber were exposed to injuries to the eyes from the dust while operating saws and using compressed air for cleaning. Eye protection was not required to be used, on or about 12/5/12.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Feb 25, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(f)(2):     Each service, feeder, and branch circuit, at its disconnecting means or overcurrent device, was not legibly marked to indicate its purpose, nor located and arranged so the purpose was evident:    Suwanee Lumber Company - Electrical disconnects installed against the wall near the planer were not marked to indicate its purpose, on or about 12/5/12.