OSHA Inspection: ADVANCED ENVIRONMENTAL RECYCLING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Abate by

Jan 27, 2014

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $5,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm in that employees were exposed to dust explosions, deflagration, and other fire hazards in the following instances:    a.  Penthouse:  Employees performed installation of slide gates onto the vent stacks for the mixer system.  The mixers were in operation, mixing combustible dust at high temeratures during slide gate replacement with no means provided to prevent foreign material such as but not limited to sparks, shards of metal, or metal dust particulates from entering the system on or about July 17, 2013.    b.  Mixer Area:  Employees processed combustible dust for wood composite decking manufacturing in mixers.  Combustible dust leaked from the mixer lids and mixer components such as but not limited to the lids of the mixers when in operation on or about July 17, 2013.

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Abate by

Jan 27, 2014

Penalty

Initial $5,500 · Current $2,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1): The employer did not assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE):    a.  Mixing Area on Mezzanine - Employees did not wear easily removable flame-retardant and non-static-generating clothing in an area where combustible wood dust was present on or about July 17, 2013.    b.  Penthouse - Maintenance employees did not wear easily removable flame-retardant and non-static-generating clothing in an area where combustible wood dust was present on or about July 17, 2013.

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Abate by

Jan 27, 2014

Penalty

Initial $38,500 · Current $37,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.307(c): Equipment, wiring methods, and installations of equipment in hazardous (classified) locations were not intrinsically safe, approved for the hazardous (classified) location, or safe for the hazardous (classified) location:    a.  Penthouse:  A DeWalt 18 volt cordless drill was used by employees to drill holes in a Class II, Division 1 location, was not intrinsically safe, approved for a Class II, Division 1, location, or safe for a Class II, Division 1 location, on or about July 17, 2013.    b.  Mixer Area on Mezzanine:  Electrical outlet boxes, receptacles, and electrical switch boxes in a Class II, Division 1 location, were not intrinsically safe, approved for a Class II, Division 1, location, or safe for a Class II, Division 1 location, on or about July 19, 2013.    c.  South Wall of Extrusion Department:  Electrical equipment including, but not limited to, circuit breaker panels, disconnect switches, electrical outlet boxes, and electrical switch boxes in a Class II, Division 1 location were not intrinsically safe, approved for a Class II, Division 1, location, or safe for a Class II, Division 1 location on or about July 19, 2013.    Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent which was contained in OSHA inspection 312739279, citation number 1, item number 4 and was affirmed as a final order on September 9, 2009, with respect to a workplace located at 801 North Jefferson Street in Springdale, Arkansas.