OSHA Inspection: NEWCHEM, INC.

Issued

Jul 31, 2013

Abate by

Aug 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $2,700 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 from a loss of load while operating an under hung crane that was not subject to regular inspection(s):      (a) Maintenance Shop: A 2 ton capacity CM Cyclone crane, is used to lift hydraulic pumps approximately 4 feet from the floor. The hydraulic pumps weigh approximately 800 pounds. The crane has not been inspected with signed reports within the last 12 months, as determined on or about 02/12/2013.      (b) Resin Building: Two 2 ton capacity Harrington cranes used to lift bags of raw material into the hoppers approximately 13 feet from the floor. The bags of raw material weigh between 1100-2200 pounds. The cranes have not been inspected with signed reports within the last 12 months, as determined on or about 02/12/2013.      ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jul 31, 2013

Abate by

Aug 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,700 · Current $1,620 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(a)(8): Every floor hole into which persons can accidentally walk were not guarded:      (a) Second Floor, Reactor 401: Employees working in the reactor area were exposed to unguarded floor holes measuring 4-7 inches wide, as observed on or about 02/12/2013.       ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jul 31, 2013

Abate by

Aug 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $2,700 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(b)(1): Open-sided floor(s) or platform(s) 4 feet or more above the adjacent floor or ground level were not guarded by standard railings (or the equivalent as specified in 29 CFR 1910.23(e)(3)(i) through (v)), on all open sides:      (a) Resin Building: Filter Housing Area: Employees access a platform to change out the filters.  The platform was missing the protective mid-rail and top-rail. The fall distance was 4 feet 9 inches from the platform to the lowest portion of the concrete floor, as determined on or about 02/13/2013.      (b) Old MCC Building: Employees perform maintenance work on the roof the building without the use of fall protection.  The roof was approximately 13 feet 2 inches from the top of the roof to the lowest portion of the ground, as determined on or about 02/13/2013.      (c) Raw Materials Unloading Area: Employees access a platform to conduct unloading work by switching on the pumps. A section of the platform was missing the protective mid-rail and top-rail. The fall distance was 5 feet 10 inches from the platform to the lowest portion of the concrete floor, as determined on or about 02/13/2013.      (d) Third Floor: Drop Tank Area: Employees access a platform to refill the drop tank with raw material. Sections of the platform were missing the protective mid-rail and top-rail. The fall distance was 20 feet from the platform to the lowest portion of the concrete floor, as determined on or about 02/13/2013.      (e) Fourth Floor: Waste Water Area: Employees access a platform to access the wastewater tank. Sections of the platform were missing the protective mid-rail and top-rail. The fall distance was 24 feet from the platform to the lowest portion of the concrete floor, as determined on or about 02/13/2013.      ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jul 31, 2013

Abate by

Aug 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $2,700 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.106(h)(7)(i)(a): Precautions were not taken to prevent the ignition of flammable liquids.       (a) Resin Building; Small Lab: Employees use an open topped metal container filled with Xylene to clean tubes and beakers after running tests on the resin under a laboratory vacuum hood. A household power strip was located inside the hood 17 inches from the open metal container of Xylene, as observed on or about 02/13/2013       ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jul 31, 2013

Abate by

Aug 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $2,700 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.151(b): There was neither an infirmary, clinic, or hospital used for the treatment of all injured employees in near proximity to the workplace nor a person or persons adequately trained to render first aid:      (a) NewChem Inc.:  Employees were conducting manufacturing work utilizing cranes, flammable materials, caustic materials, accessing unguarded platforms and other machinery, more than 10 minutes away from a local ambulance service. The employer did not ensure that a person was on site with a valid certificate in first-aid training to render first aid, as determined on or about 02/13/2013.      ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jul 31, 2013

Abate by

Aug 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $2,700 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.151(c): Where employees were exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body were not provided within the work area for immediate emergency use:       (a) Resin Building and Maintenance Shop: Employees handle caustic chemicals such as but not limited to Sodium Hydroxide, which has a PH of 13.5 in a 1 percent aqueous solution. There were no suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes in the immediate work area, as determined on or about 02/13/2013.         ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jul 31, 2013

Abate by

Aug 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,600 · Current $1,800 Reduced

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) Maintenance Shop: Employees use a Black Hawk Drill Press, s/n 58343, to drill holes on metal or wood materials. The employee's hand was demonstrated to be at a distance of three inches from the unguarded rotating chuck, as determined on or about 02/13/2013.        ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jul 31, 2013

Abate by

Aug 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,600 · Current $1,800 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(1)(ii): Unused openings in boxes, cabinets, or fittings were not effectively closed:      (a) Maintenance Shop: Employees use a Black Hawk Drill Press, s/n 58343, to drill holes on metal or wood materials. The electrical switch to turn on the drill press was missing a blank in the area where a knockout has been removed, exposing the internal wiring as observed on or about 02/13/2013.      ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jul 31, 2013

Abate by

Aug 6, 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:     (a) Resin Building: Employees operate powered industrial trucks such as a Heli, s/n 23025003605, propane fork truck, to off load materials from box trucks. The employer did not evaluate each powered industrial truck operator at least once every three years, as determined on or about 02/13/2013.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED