OSHA Inspection: WELSPUN TUBULAR LLC.

Issued

Nov 15, 2013

Abate by

Dec 3, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): 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 was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to struck by and caught-in between hazards.    On or about May 24, 2013, and at times prior thereto, at the Spiral "Final" Department, an employee's leg was caught between a moving pipe and a stationary pipe bumper. An 80-1" pipe had been conveyed down to an employee for visual inspection. The visual inspector noticed that the pipe was longer than normal and determined that once the pipe was conveyed to the visual inspection workstation it would not fit without being obstructed by the work platform.  The employee was told by the lead supervisor to jog the magnetic proximity sensor, located below the conveyor, to move the pipe further down the conveyor, so it would have clearance to be transported over to the visual inspector workstation. The employee jogged the magnetic proximity sensor and the grinderman who operates the pipe conveyor limit switch had a makeshift instrument holding the switch in the forward position and the pipe continued down the conveyor and the visual inspector's right thigh was caught in between the convex edge of the pipe and the Teflon stopping block. The employer's own procedures and actions did not afford effective protection to the workers, in that the workers were exposed to hazards associated with being struck by and caught-in between conveyed piping and the Teflon stopping block.