OSHA Inspection: INTERNATIONAL MULCH COMPANY, INC

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 16, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,950 · Current $2,430 Reduced

General-duty citation text

1910.23(a)(2): Every ladderway, floor opening, or platform was not guarded by a standard railing with standard toeboard on all exposed sides (except at entrance to opening), with the passage through the railing either provided with a swinging gate or so offset that a person cannot walk directly into the opening:      Employees working on mezzanines were exposed to the hazard of falling and being struck by falling objects the mezzanines are not constructed with swinging gates, offsets or toeboards.       (a) Stairway atop the paver room mezzanine:   Employees were exposed to fall hazards while working from heights of 7 feet when checking and cleaning the Davis rubber mixer. The employer failed to provide swinging gates or offsets at the stairway opening.      (b) Paver room mezzanine:  Employees walking by the paver mezzanine were exposed to struck by hazards. The employer failed to provide toeboards around the Davis mixer at the paver room mezzanine.      (c) Ladder way atop the dryer mezzanine:   Employees were exposed to fall hazards while working from a height of 7 feet to access the dryer. The employer failed to provide swinging gates or offsets at the ladder way opening.      (d) Dryer mezzanine:   Employees walking by the dryer mezzanine were exposed to struck by hazards. The employer failed to provide toeboards around the dryer mezzanine.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 16, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,960 · Current $1,980 Reduced

General-duty citation text

1910.24(f): "Stair treads." Rise height and tread width was not uniform throughout any flight of stairs including any foundation structure used as one or more treads of the stairs:     Employees accessing the paver room mezzanine are exposed to the hazard of falling and the rise height is not uniform throughout the flight of stairs. Riser heights were from ten and a half inches to thriteen and a half inches.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 31, 2013

Penalty

Initial $6,930 · Current $3,430 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 the activities covered by this section:       Employees were exposed to electric shock, pinch-points, crushing, and struck-by hazards due to potential energy which was not identified and controlled during the servicing and maintenance of machinery with multiple energy sources, as the employer did not develop, document and utilize machine-specific lockout procedures for this equipment:          a) Bagger Line   On or about 6/4/13, authorized employees failed to affix lockout or tagout devices to each energy isolating device before making adjustments on the bagger line.    b) Dryer  On or about 8/1/13, the employer failed to identify electrical, mechanical, stored energy, hydraulic and pneumatic sources of energy and did not prepare a procedure to isolate those sources.      b) Rubber Mixer  On or about 6/13/13, the employer failed to identify electrical, mechanical, stored energy, hydraulic and pneumatic sources of energy and did not prepare a procedure to isolate those sources.      International Mulch Company, Inc.  was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard, 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(ii)(C), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 449134, citation number 1, item number 1, and was affirmed as a final order on 11/27/12, with respect to a workplace located at 513 Tolle Avenue, Godfrey, IL  62035.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 31, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(d)(3): All energy isolating devices that were needed to control the energy to the machine or equipment were not physically located and operated in such a manner as to isolate the machine or equipment from the energy source:   Employees were exposed to electric shock, pinch-points, crushing, and struck-by hazards due to potential energy which was not identified and controlled during the servicing and maintenance of machinery with multiple energy sources:    a) Bagger Line On or about 6/4/13, employees failed to physically located and isolate the equipment from the energy source before making adjustments on the bagger line.    b) Dryer On or about 8/1/13, employees failed to physically located and isolate the equipment from the energy source before preforming cleanout activities in the dryer.    c) Rubber Mixer On or about 6/13/13, employees failed to physically located and isolate the equipment from the energy source before. Employees were cleaning the auger while it was operating.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 31, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(d)(4)(i): Lockout or tagout devices were not affixed to each energy isolating device by authorized employees:    Employees were exposed to electric shock, pinch-points, crushing, and struck-by hazards, authorized employees did not affix lockout or tagout devices to each energy isolating device in the following areas:    a) Bagger Line On or about 6/4/13, authorized employees failed to affix lockout or tagout devices to each energy isolating device before making adjustments on the bagger line.    b) Dryer On or about 8/1/13, authorized employees failed to affix lockout or tagout devices to each energy isolating device before preforming cleanout activities in the dryer.    c) Rubber Mixer On or about 6/13/13, authorized employees failed to affix lockout or tagout devices to each energy isolating device. Employees were cleaning the auger while it was operating.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 31, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,960 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

1910.212(b): Anchoring fixed machinery. Machines designed for a fixed location was not securely anchored to prevent walking or moving:      Employees working on the bagger line were exposed to crush-by hazards when walking past a mechanical conveyor. The conveyor legs are not anchored and up on cribbing, vibration was causing the cribbing to shift.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 31, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,970 · Current $1,470 Reduced

General-duty citation text

1910.242(b): Compressed air used for cleaning purposes was not reduced to less than 30 p.s.i.:    Employees were exposed to eye injuries while using compressed air to clean out molds. The employer failed to ensure all compressed air used for cleaning was reduced to less than 30 pounds per square inch.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 31, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,960 · Current $1,980 Reduced

General-duty citation text

1910.303(b)(2): Installation and use. Listed or labeled equipment was not installed and used in accordance with instructions:    Employees were exposed to electrical hazards when electrical components were not installed or used in accordance to listing or labeling instructions:      a) Tree ring room, two metal electrical boxes used to switch lighting on and off were not mounted. The boxes were hanging by romex electrical cord run from the ceiling. The boxes were not mounted to a wall, beam, etc. and they were not installed or used in accordance to listing.       b) Tree ring room, two electrical metal quad boxes were being used to power equipment. The boxes were not mounted to a wall, beam, etc. and they were not installed or used in accordance to listing.        c) Tree ring room, multiple extension cords were daisy chained together to power shop equipment. The extension cords were not used in accordance to listing.        d) Paver room, relocatable power taps were used to power shop equipment. The power taps were used in an industrial setting and mounted with zip ties to a portable cart and power taps were not used in accordance to listing.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 31, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,960 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(g)(2)(i): Except as elsewhere required or permitted by this standard, 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:     Employees were exposed to electrical shock hazards due to unguarded live electrical parts operating at more than 50 volts in the following locations:      a) Tree ring room, control panel on the south wall, employees accessing the control panel to adjust the equipment were exposed to electrical hazards and there were no barriers or partitions to protect against accidental contact with the exposed live parts.       b) Paver room, control panel on the west wall, employees accessing the control panel to adjust the equipment were exposed to electrical hazards and there were no barriers or partitions to protect against accidental contact with the exposed live parts.      c) Boiler room, employees were exposed to electrical hazards and unguarded live electrical wires are located on the south wall next to the boiler where work was being performed.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 31, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,960 · Current $1,950 Reduced

General-duty citation text

1910.304(g)(5): Grounding path. The path to ground from circuits, equipment, and enclosures were not permanent, continuous, and effective:      Employees working in the boiler room were exposed to electrical shock, burns, and fire hazards. A 120 volt flexible cord was wired into a 440 volt electrical box with the other end wired into a control panel to bypass a safety alarm on the boiler. The flexible cord did not have the ground wire connected.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 31, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

1910.305(g)(1)(i): Flexible cords and cables were not approved for conditions of use and location:    Employees working in the boiler room were exposed to electrical shock, burns, and fire hazards. A 120 volt flexible cord had both ends cut and was wired into a 440 volt electrical box with the other end wired into a control panel to bypass a safety alarm on the boiler.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 31, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,960 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(g)(1)(iv): Flexible cords and or cables were used for purposes prohibited by paragraphs (A) through (F) of 29 CFR 1910.305(g)(1)(iv):     Employees are exposed to fire hazards; flexible cords were used for purposes prohibited, in the following areas:      a) Tree ring room, a flexible cord attached to a pendant box used to power a fan and motor was run through the ceiling exposing employees to fire hazards.      b) Tree ring room, extension cords were run through the ceiling to power a radio and fan exposing employees to fire hazards.      c) Shaker room, a flexible cord was running through the wall  powering a blower exposing employees to fire hazards.      d) Paver room, an extension cord used to power a time clock was used as a substitute for fixed wiring exposing employees to electrical shock.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,960 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(g)(2)(ii): Flexible cords were not used in continuous lengths without splice or tap:      Employees were exposed to fire hazards. Flexible cords being used were not in continuous lengths without splice or tap in the following areas:      a) Tree ring room, a flexible cord attached to a pendant box was used to power a fan and motor was not in continuous length, but was spliced, exposing employees to fire hazards.       b) Paver room, a flexible cord used to power solenoids was spliced exposing employees to fire hazards.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 31, 2013

Penalty

Initial $6,930 · Current $3,450 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(1)(i): Conductors entering cutout boxes, cabinets, or fittings were not protected from abrasion, and openings through which conductors enter were not effectively closed:      a) Tree Ring Room: Employees working in the tree ring room were exposed to electrical shock, two metal electrical boxes used to switch lighting on and off were hanging by romex electrical cord run from the ceiling. The romex cord was not protected from abrasion, and the openings through which conductors entered the box were not effectively closed.       b) Boiler Room: Employees working in the boiler room were exposed to electrical shock, burns, and fire hazards. A 120 volt flexible cord was wired into a 440 volt electrical box with the other end wired into a control panel to bypass a safety alarm on the boiler. The flexible cord was not protected from abrasion, and the openings through which conductors entered the box were not effectively closed.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 31, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(1)(ii): Unused openings in cabinets, boxes, and fittings were not effectively closed:    Employees are exposed to fire hazards and the electrical boxes in the following areas have unused openings:    a) Tree ring room, a metal outlet box mounted to the paint mixer stand had an unused opening on the backside of the box.     b) Paver room, Siemens control box mounted to the paver mezzanine had an unused opening left side of the box.     c) Bulk storage area, the 440 volt electrical breaker near the portable conveyor had unused openings on the left side and bottom.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 16, 2013

Penalty

Initial $5,940 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(2)(i): Each outlet box in completed installations did not have a cover, faceplate, or fixture canopy:    Employees were exposed to electrical shock and fire hazards and the electrical boxes in the following areas did not have covers or faceplates:      a) Tree ring room, two metal outlet boxes used to switch lighting on and off were missing faceplates exposing employees to electrical shock.      b) Tree ring room middle support column, a metal outlet box used to switch lighting on and off was missing a faceplate exposing employees to electrical shock.      c) Tree ring room above tree ring conveyors, a junction box was missing its cover exposing employees to fire hazards.       d) Tree ring room south wall, a metal outlet box was missing its cover exposing employees to electrical shock.