OSHA Inspection: ALRO STEEL CORPORATION

Issued

Jul 18, 2013

Abate by

Jul 26, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $4,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1)(i): The employer did not select and have each affected employee use, the types of personal protective equipment that would protect the affected employee(s) from the hazards identified in the hazard assessment:  a) For the Alro Metal Services Center facility at 12490 49th St. N, Clearwater, FL 33762, as observed on or about 02/11/2013, employees operating forklifts did not wear seat belts.  The available seat belts were too small to fit some employees, and the practive of wearing seat belts while driving forklifts was not enforced for all employees.  Or in the alternative:  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 the hazard of falling out of forklifts due to seat belts not being worn.    a) For the Alro Metal Services Center facility at 12490 49th St. N, Clearwater, FL 33762, as observed on or about 02/11/2013, employees operating forklifts did not wear seat belts. The available seat belts were too small to fit some employees, and the practice of wearing seat belts while driving forklifts was not enforced for all employees.

Issued

Jul 18, 2013

Abate by

Jul 30, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

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:   a) For the Alro Metal Services Center facility at 12490 49th St. N, Clearwater, FL 33762, as observed on or about 02/11/2013, forklift operators had not received any training or evaluation of their performance in the last three years.

Issued

Jul 18, 2013

Abate by

Jul 26, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(q)(7): Industrial trucks were not examined before being placed in service:  a) For the Alro Metal Services Center facility at 12490 49th St. N, Clearwater, FL 33762, as observed on or about 02/11/2013: forklifts used at the facility were not inspected/examined before being used. Employees simply started up the forklift and drove off without any safety inspection/examination.

Issued

Jul 18, 2013

Abate by

Jul 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(m)(5)(iii): When the operator of an industrial truck is dismounted and within 25 ft. of the truck still in his view, the load engaging means shall be fully lowered, controls neutralized, and the brakes set to prevent movement:    a) For the Alro Metal Services Center facility at 12490 49th St. N, Clearwater, FL 33762, as observed on or about 02/11/2013, an employee dismounted a forklift without fully lowering the load engaging means; a storage rack was being elevated/held in place by the forks of the forklift. Sometime between 02/08/2013 and 02/09/2013, the storage rack fell from the forklift resulting in the employee below being crushed to death.

Issued

Jul 18, 2013

Abate by

Jul 30, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $4,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1): One or more methods of machine guarding was not provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips and sparks:  a) For the Alro Metal Services Center facility at 12490 49th St. N, Clearwater, FL 33762, as observed on or about 02/11/2013, employees operating a horizontal metal bandsaw were exposed to laceration and amputation hazards associated with a 9 inch, unused section of the bandsaw that was unguarded.

Issued

Jul 18, 2013

Abate by

Aug 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(d)(1): Pulley(s) with part(s) seven feet or less from the floor or work platform were not guarded in accordance with the requirements specified in 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o):  a) For the Alro Metal Services Center facility at 12490 49th St. N, Clearwater, FL 33762, as observed on or about 02/11/2013, employees operating and walking by a horizontal metal band saw were exposed to an unguarded, driven belt and pulley. There was no guard on the belt and pulley, and the saw was used in its condition and observed to be plugged in.

Issued

Jul 18, 2013

Abate by

Jul 25, 2013

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $5,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(g)(2)(i): Except as elsewhere required or permitted by Subpart S of Part 1910, live parts of electric equipment operating  at 50 volts or more were not guarded against accidental contact by use of approved cabinets or other forms of approved enclosures or by any of the means identified in paragraphs (A), (B), (C), and (D) of 29 CFR 1910.303(g)(2)(i):  a) For the Alro Metal Services Center facility at 12490 49th St. N, Clearwater, FL 33762, as observed on or about 02/11/2013: an extension cord in the warehouse had damaged insulation resulting in exposed live conductors. The cord was observed to be plugged into an electrical outlet.

Issued

Jul 18, 2013

Abate by

Jul 26, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $4,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(g)(1)(iv)(A): Flexible cords were used as a substitute for the fixed wiring of a structure:  a) For the Alro Metal Services Center facility at 12490 49th St. N, Clearwater, FL 33762, as observed on or about 02/11/2013: an extension cord was attached to the wall in the Industrial side of the building and used as fixed wiring. This resulted in a potential fire hazard for employees of the Metals division who walked through the area or worked in the warehouse or other locations of the connected buildings.

Issued

Jul 18, 2013

Abate by

Jul 26, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(g)(2)(iii): Flexible cords were not connected to devices and fittings so that tension would not be transmitted to joints or terminal screws:   a) For the Alro Metal Services Center facility at 12490 49th St. N, Clearwater, FL 33762, as observed on or about 02/11/2013, an extension cord plugged into an outlet had a strain relief problem in that the outer insulation had pulled away from the plug placing tension on the inner terminal screws. This resulted in a potential electric shock or fire hazard for Alro Metal's employees on site or walking through the area.

Issued

Jul 18, 2013

Abate by

Jul 30, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $1,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(a)(4): Modifications and additions which affect capacity and safe operation of powered industrial truck were performed by the employer without the manufacturer's prior written approval:  For the Alro Metal Services Center facility at 12490 49th St. N, Clearwater, FL 33762, as observed on or about 02/11/2013:    a)    Front end attachments were used with forklifts and manufacturer's approval was not obtained for their use.  b)   Slings were used with forklifts to elevate/lift material like a crane. Manufacturer's approval was not obtained for this type of usage.

Issued

Jul 18, 2013

Abate by

Jul 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(b)(2): Listed or labeled electrical equipment was not used or installed in accordance with instructions included in the listing or labeling:  a) For the Alro Metal Services Center facility at 12490 49th St. N, Clearwater, FL 33762, as observed on or about 02/11/2013, a portable power strip, designed for non-industrial use, was used on the fabrication floor, and an industrial band saw was plugged into it.

Issued

Jul 18, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(b)(7)(i): Unused openings in boxes, raceways, auxiliary gutters, cabinets, equipment cases, or housings shall be effectively closed to afford protection substantially equivalent to the wall of the equipment.  a) For the Alro Metal Services Center facility at 12490 49th St. N, Clearwater, FL 33762, as observed on or about 02/11/2013, multiple breakers slots in cabinets were observed to be open and unguarded.