OSHA Inspection: INTERNATIONAL MULCH COMPANY, INC

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Jan 23, 2014

Penalty

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

Hazardous substances E200M110

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1): All places of employment, passageways, storerooms or service rooms were not kept clean and orderly or in a sanitary condition.    a) Employees were exposed to potential fire hazards in the event of ignition due to abnormal operation or failure of electrical equipment when the employer allowed 1-3 inches of cotton fiber, i.e. tire fiber resulting from the breakdown of the tire material in the dryer and dust collector, to accumulate on two 440V metal Westinghouse circuit breakers and one 120V metal duplex receptacle in the dryer area.      b) Employees were exposed to potential fire hazards of cotton fiber accumulation on metal electrical conduit and 120V metal junction boxes which may be ignitable by abnormal operation or failure of electrical equipment in the Mulch storage area of the warehouse adjacent to the dryer room.        The fire hazard potential exists when abnormal conditions or failure of the electrical systems, visible with 1-3 inches of cotton fiber accumulation on horizontal surfaces of two 440V Westinghouse circuit breakers and one 120V duplex receptacle in the dryer room ignite and spread to ignite the adjacent air blower attached to the dryer and dust collector.  Fiber accumulations were present on the top surface of the air blower, on the floor surrounding the air blower, on the top surface of the dryer and dust collector, in on the horizontal surfaces of the adjacent Mulch storage area of the warehouse.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Jan 23, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances E200M110

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.307(c): Electrical installations. Equipment, wiring methods, and installations of equipment in hazardous (classified) locations shall be intrinsically safe, approved for the hazardous (classified) location, or safe for the hazardous (classified) location. Requirements for each of these options are as follows:   Electrical equipment in the area of the dryer and the adjacent Mulch storage area were of insufficient construction for the environment.  Combustible organic dust, referred to as cotton fiber, is created as a by-product of drying mulch pieces in the Carrier dryer.  Fiber is released into the dryer area and settles on electrical installations, such as, but not limited to, the Gas-fired 1.5 million BTU Carrier brand fluid-bed dryer; dust collector servicing the dryer; 2 Control panels, 440V each, powering mixers 1 & 2, 30 inch conveyor and hopper; 440V dryer and dust collector controls; 2) 440V Westinghouse circuit breakers; 120V Thayer conveyor control panel; 120V duplex receptacle; and 440V AirPro blower for dryer. Conduit and electrical for 3) 120V receptacles and junction boxes over the 20 block wall from the dryer in the adjacent Mulch storage area.  These cotton fiber accumulations may be ignitable during abnormal operation or failure of electrical equipment.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 10, 2013

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.133(a)(3): The employer did not ensure that each affected employee who wears prescription lenses while engaged in operations that involve eye hazards wears eye protection that incorporates the prescription in its design, or wears eye protection that can be worn over the prescription lenses without disturbing the proper position of the prescription lenses or the protective lenses:    Employees exposed to eye injury hazards while using pneumatic staplers wore only prescription glasses that were not approved by ANSI Z87.1 as acceptable to be used as safety glasses.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 23, 2013

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1): Machine guarding was not provided to protect operator(s) and other employees from hazard(s) created by in-going nip points:    a) On the Bagger Line the powered take-up conveyor roller had an in-running nip point, exposing employees to caught-in hazards, as the nip point was located where the aisle meets the walkway to the Bagger machine.      b) In the Paver Room, a powered take-up conveyor roller feeding the finished product (loose mulch) auger and conveyor had an in-running nip point, exposing the Lead person to caught-in hazards when doing regular operations checks.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,960 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(c)(4)(i): Unguarded projecting shaft end(s) did not present a smooth edge and end and projected more than one half the diameter of the shaft:    a) On the Bagger Line, a projecting shaft end, roughly hip height and projecting approximately 3.5 inches, coming off the vibratory conveyor into the walkway to the Bagger Line, presented a struck-by or caught-in hazard for employees.      b) On the Bagger Line, a projecting shaft end, roughly shin height and projecting approximately 3.5 inches, coming off the conveyor take-up, projected into the walkway to the Bagger Line, presented a struck-by or caught-in hazard for employees.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(c)(4)(ii): The unused keyway(s) of projecting shaft end(s) were not filled up or covered:    a) On the Bagger Line, a projecting shaft end, roughly hip height and projecting approximately 3.5 inches, coming off the vibratory conveyor into the walkway to the Bagger Line, presented a struck-by or caught-in hazard for employees.      b) On the Bagger Line, a projecting shaft end, roughly shin height and projecting approximately 3.5 inches, coming off the conveyor take-up, projected into the walkway to the Bagger Line, presented a struck-by or caught-in hazard for employees.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 23, 2013

Penalty

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

Hazardous substances 9965

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new chemical hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:    The employer did not provide the required Hazard Communication training to all employees, including temporary employees, performing handling, spreading, trimming and pressing tasks with isocyanate-pigmented mulch.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1073

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:  Employees were subject to chemical sensitization of the hands when the employer did not determine the appropriate glove to be worn to protect them from the hazards of contact with isocyanate pigmented mulch in the Paver and Tree Ring Rooms.  Some employees wore thin, latex gloves provided by the employer that were not recommended by the Material Safety Data Sheets for Stobicoll R 401 and Stobicoll R 402.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Dec 31, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.138(a): The employer did not select and require employee(s) to use appropriate hand protection when employees' hands were exposed to hazards such as those from skin absorption of harmful substances; severe cuts or lacerations; severe abrasion; punctures; chemical burns; thermal burns; and harmful temperature extremes:  In the Paver Room and the Tree Ring Room the employer did not require all employees handling mulch that had been painted with isocyanate-containing pigments to wear gloves to protect hands from chemical irritation and sensitization from isocyanate.  Some employees in the Paver Room and Tree Ring Room wore cotton/poly gloves with  gripping that allowed the chemical to permeate and dye their hands when spreading mulch and handling finished pavers or tree rings.

Issued

Dec 4, 2013

Abate by

Jan 23, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9020

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1001(j)(2)(ii): Building and facility owners did not maintain records of all information required to be provided pursuant to this section and/or otherwise known to the building owner concerning the presence, location and quantity of ACM and PACM in the building/facility. Such records shall be kept for the duration of ownership and shall be transferred to successive owners:  The facility owner, International Mulch Company, Inc., did not maintain a record of asbestos installations for the facility.