OSHA Inspection: NORTHSTAR METAL PRODUCTS, INC.

Issued

Sep 27, 2013

Abate by

Nov 1, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,950 · Current $3,465 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(c)(1): Open-sided floors and/or platforms four feet or more above adjacent floor or ground level were not guarded with standard railings (or equivalent) and toeboards:  Note:  Toeboards are only required when persons can pass, there is moving equipment or there is equipment with which falling materials could create a hazard.    a)  Powder Coating Dept., 5-Stage Washer Area.  Employees were exposed to falls of approximately 8 feet to the floor below when stepping from a stepladder onto an open-sided platform to access the door on the side of the washer tunnel.  No guardrails or other equivalent means of fall protection was provided or used.    Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(c).

Issued

Sep 27, 2013

Abate by

Nov 1, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,960 · Current $2,772 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(d)(2): Under the permit-required confined space program required by 29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4), the employer did not identify and evaluate the hazards of permit spaces before employees entered:    a)  Powder Coating Department, 5 Stage Washer.  On or about April 1, 2013, employees entered the washer, a permit-required confined space, to perform routine servicing and maintenance on the spray nozzles inside.  The employer did not identify and evaluate the hazards of the space prior to allowing employees to enter.    Abatement certification is required for this item in accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

Sep 27, 2013

Abate by

Nov 1, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(d)(3): Under the permit-required confined space program required by 29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4), the employer did not develop and implement the means, procedures, and practices necessary for safe permit space entry operations, including but not limited to, the following:  (i)   Specifying acceptable entry conditions; (ii)   Providing each authorized entrant or that employee's authorized representative with the opportunity to observe any monitoring of testing of permit spaces; (iii)   Isolating the permit space; (iv)  Purging, inerting, flushing, or ventilating the permit space as necessary to eliminate or control atmospheric hazards; (v)  Providing pedestrian, vehicle, or other barriers as necessary to protect entrants from external hazards; and (vi)  Verifying that conditions in the permit space are acceptable for entry throughout the duration of an authorized entry.  a) Powder Coating Department.  On or about April 1, 2013, employees entered the washer, a permit-required confined space, to perform routine servicing and maintenance on the spray nozzles inside.  The employer did not implement the means, procedures and practices necessary for safe permit space entry and operations.  Employees entered unlabeled spaces without prior air monitoring and hazardous energy control.  Abatement certification is required for this item in accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

Sep 27, 2013

Abate by

Nov 1, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,950 · Current $3,465 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.334(c)(1): Unqualified persons performed testing work on electric circuits or equipment.     Welding Dept.  On or about the week of April 8, 2013, an unqualified employee performed voltage testing up to 480v on energized components inside an electrical supply box for a welding machine.     Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with the requirements of 1903.19(d).      Abatement note:  Qualified persons shall be capable of working safely on energized circuits and shall be familiar with the proper use of special precautionary techniques, personal protective equipment (PPE), insulating & shielding materials and insulated tools (see 1910.333(c)(2)).

Issued

Sep 27, 2013

Abate by

Nov 1, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.332(b)(1): Employees were not trained in and familiar with the safety-related work practices required by 1910.331 through 1910.335 that pertained to their respective job assignments:   On or about the week of April 8, 2013, an employee performed voltage testing up to 480v on energized components inside an electrical supply box for a welding machine.  Employees were not trained in and familiar with safety-related work practices such as the use of special precautionary techniques, personal protective equipment (PPE) and insulating and shielding materials.   Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with the requirements of 1903.19(d).

Issued

Sep 27, 2013

Abate by

Nov 1, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.332(b)(3): Additional Requirements for Qualified Persons.  Qualified persons (those permitted to work on or near exposed energized parts) were not, at a minimum, trained in and familiar with the following:   (i) The skills and techniques necessary to distinguish exposed live parts from other parts of electric equipment.  (ii) The skills and techniques necessary to determine the nominal voltage of exposed live parts, and  (iii) The clearance distances specified in 1910.333(c) and the corresponding voltages to which the qualified person will be exposed.   On or about the week of April 8, 2013, an employee performed voltage testing up to 480v on energized components inside an electrical supply box for a welding machine.  The employee was not trained in and familiar with the additional requirements for qualified persons, as listed above.   Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with the requirements of 1903.19(d).

Issued

Sep 27, 2013

Abate by

Nov 1, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,950 · Current $3,465 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.335(a)(1)(i):  Employees working in areas where there were potential electrical hazards were not provided with electrical protective equipment that was appropriate for the specific parts of the body that needed to be protected and for the work being performed:       On or about the week of April 8, 2013, an employee who performed voltage testing on energized electrical components up to 480v inside an electrical supply box for a welding machine did not wear appropriate electrical protective equipment, including but not limited to the following, to protect against electrical shock and arc flash/blast injuries:       a)     Rubber insulating gloves with leather protectors.     b)     Arc-rated long-sleeve shirt and pants, or arc-rated coverall     c)     Arc-rated flash suit hood, or arc-rated face shield and balaclava     d)     Hearing protection (canal inserts)       Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with the requirements of 1903.19(d).       Abatement Note:  For compliance assistance, refer to NFPA 70E national consensus standard, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, 2012 Edition, www.NFPA.org.

Issued

Sep 27, 2013

Abate by

Nov 1, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.335(a)(1)(iv): Employees exposed to the danger of head injury from electric shock or burns due to contact with exposed energized parts did not wear nonconductive head protection:   On or about the week of April 8, 2013, an employee who performed voltage testing on energized electrical components up to 480v inside an electrical supply box for a welding machine did not wear nonconductive head protection, such as a hard hat with die-electric properties. The employee was wearing a baseball cap.  Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with the requirements of 1903.19(c).   Abatement Note:  For compliance assistance, refer to NFPA 70E national consensus standard, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, 2012 Edition, www.NFPA.org.

Issued

Sep 27, 2013

Abate by

Nov 1, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.335(a)(1)(v): Employees exposed to the danger of injury to the eyes or face from electric arcs or flashes or from flying objects resulting from electrical explosion did not wear protective equipment for the eyes or face:  On or about the week of April 8, 2013, an employee who performed voltage testing on energized electrical components up to 480v inside an electrical supply box for a welding machine did not wear appropriate protective equipment for the eyes and face to protect against electrical arc flash/blast injuries, such as safety glasses and an arc-rated face shield.  The employee wore a U.S. Face Shield #494400 that was rated for chemical protection.  Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with 903.19(d).  Abatement note:  For compliance assistance, refer to NFPA 70E national consensus standard, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, 2012 Edition, www.NFPA.org.

Issued

Sep 27, 2013

Abate by

Nov 1, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,920 · Current $5,544 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i): Procedures were not developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees were engaged in activities covered by this section:     Powder Coating Department, 5 Stage Washer.  On or about April 1, 2013 the employer did not develop, document and ensure that employees utilized lockout/tagout procedures for controlling hazardous energy sources prior to entering the washer to perform routine servicing and maintenance on the spray nozzles inside.  Hazardous energy sources included but were not limited to heated water sprayed through nozzles (up to 130 degrees F), chemical pump system and an overhead conveyor line. Employees did not lock out equipment prior to entering the washer.     Northstar Metal Products, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard (29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i)), which was contained in OSHA Inspection Number 62918, Citation Number 1, Item Number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on August 12, 2011, with respect to a workplace located at 591 Mitchell Road, Glendale Heights, IL  60139.    Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d).