OSHA Inspection: VALK MANUFACTURING COMPANY INCORPORATED

Issued

Jan 15, 2014

Abate by

Mar 5, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $1,470 Reduced

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 potential crushing injuries from a falling load while using an inadequately engineered lifting device.    (a)  Blade Department - An employee used a home made lifting device to lift parts.  The employer did not ensure that the lifting device was designed, tested, marked with rated capacity, manufactures information and a serial number, on or about July 17, 2013.      Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Jan 15, 2014

Abate by

Feb 20, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $1,470 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(3)(iii)(B)(2): The employer did not implement a change schedule for respirators not equipped with an End of Service Life Indicator that would ensure cartridges were changed before the end of their service life:    (a) 66 East Main Street New Kingstown Pennsylvania - Employees wear half mask respirators when painting.  The employer did not develop a change schedule for the respirator cartridges, on or about July 17, 2013.    Note:  The employer may provide an air-purifying respirator provided the respirator is equipped with end-of-service-life indicators or a change schedule has been developed. Otherwise, the employer must provide an atmosphere-supplying respirator.     Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Jan 15, 2014

Abate by

Feb 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1): The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee was fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace:  (a) 66 East Main Street, New Kingstown Pennsylvania - An employee wears a half mask elastomeric respirator while painting.  The employer did not ensure that the employee received a medical evaluation before use of the respirator, on or about July 17, 2013.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Jan 15, 2014

Abate by

Feb 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(1): The employer did not ensure that employee(s) required to use a tight-fitting facepiece respirator passed the appropriate qualitative fit test (QLFT) or quantitative fit test (QNFT):  (a) 66 East Main Street, New Kingstown Pennsylvania - An employee wears a half mask elastomeric respirator while painting.  The employer did not ensure that the employee received a fit test before use of the respirator, on or about July 17, 2013.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Jan 15, 2014

Abate by

Feb 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(g)(1)(i)(A): Respirators with tight-fitting facepieces were worn by employees who had facial hair that came between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interfered with valve function:  (a)  66 East Main Street, New Kingstown Pennsylvania - Employees wear half mask respirators while painting.  The employer did not ensure that employees did not have facial hair between the sealing surface and the face, on or about July 17, 2013.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Jan 15, 2014

Abate by

Feb 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $1,470 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.157(g)(2): The educational program to familiarize employees with the general principles of fire extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage fire fighting was not provided to all employees upon initial employment, and at least annually thereafter:    (a) 66 East Main Street New Kingstown Pennsylvania - Employees did not receive an annual educational program on fire extinguisher usage and the associated hazards with fighting an incipient stage fire, on or about July 17, 2013.    Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Jan 15, 2014

Abate by

Mar 5, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $1,470 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(4)(iii): An evaluation of each powered industrial truck operators performance was not conducted at least once every 3 years:    (a)    66 East Main Street, New Kingstown, Pennsylvania - An employee did not receive powered industrial truck training at least once every three years, on or about July 16, 2013.      Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Jan 15, 2014

Abate by

Feb 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $1,470 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:    (a) Hyd - Mech Saw  - An employee used a horizontal band saw to cut metal.  The employer did not ensure that the unused portion of the band saw was provided with a guard, July 17, 2013.    (b) Hyd - Mech Saw  - An employee used a horizontal band saw to cut metal.  The employer did not ensure that the unused portion of the band saw was provided with a guard, July 17, 2013.    (c) Machine Shop - An employee used a Grizzly lathe that was not provided with a guard to protect employees from the rotating chuck and flying particles, on or about August 2, 2013.    (d) Machine Shop - An employee used a Kingston lathe that had its guard removed.  The employer did not ensure a guard was in place to protect employees from the rotating chuck and flying particles, on or about August 2, 2013.     Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Jan 15, 2014

Abate by

Feb 20, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,960 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.215(b)(9): The distance between the abrasive wheel periphery(s) and the adjustable tongue or the end of the safety guard peripheral member at the top exceeded one fourth inch:    (a) Near HR office - Employees used a Baldor bench grinder that did not have its tongue guard on the left abrasive wheel adjusted to within one fourth of an inch of the wheel, on or about July 17, 2013.    (b) Near HR office - Employees used a Baldor bench grinder that did not have a tongue guard on the right abrasive wheel , on or about July 17, 2013.    (c) 24 Inch Grinding Wheel - Employees used a Marschke floor grinder that did not have its tongue guard on the right abrasive wheel adjusted to within one fourth of an inch of the wheel, on or about July 17, 2013.    (d) 24 Inch Grinding Wheel - Employees used a Marschke floor grinder that did not have its tongue guard on the left abrasive wheel adjusted to within one fourth of an inch of the wheel, on or about July 17, 2013.      Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Jan 15, 2014

Abate by

Feb 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $1,470 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(b)(1): Electrical equipment was not free from recognized hazards that were likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees:    (a) 24 Inch Grinder - Employees used a 24 inch grinder that had exposed electrical wires.  The employer did not ensure that equipment was free from electrical hazards, July 17, 2013.    Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Jan 15, 2014

Abate by

Feb 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(m)(2)(ii)(E): The employee audiometric test records did not include the employee's most recent noise exposure assessment:  (a) 66 East Main Street New Kingstown Pennsylvania - Employees audiometric test record did not include the employees most recent noise exposure assessment. , on or about July 17, 2013.    Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.