OSHA Inspection: REFLECTIVE RECYCLING OF NEW ENGLAND, LLC

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Abate by

Feb 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,680 Reduced

General-duty citation text

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 fall hazards:    A.  Processing Area:  On, or about, August 29, 2013, proper fall protection equipment and training had not been provided to employees who used the Skyjack scissor lift and Genie aerial lift.  Employees had been provided with ropes and rope grab devices which were tied to the guardrail on each lift.  In some cases, the employees were tying off to structural members outside the lift.  The manufacturer's instructions had not been followed regarding the proper selection and attachment of fall protection equipment to each machine.   Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to correct the hazard is to review the owners manual for each lift and follow the manufacturer's instructions for the selection and attachment of personal fall restraint/arrest equipment.  Also, ensure that employees are properly trained in the use of the lift equipment and personal fall restraint/arrest equipment.     B.  Processing Area:  On, or about, August 23, 2013, employees were not protected from falls to lower levels while performing repair work on the elevated portion of the Railcar Loading conveyor.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Abate by

Feb 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,200 Reduced

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.  Processing Area:  On, or about, August 28, 2013, the company had not implemented a housekeeping program to control the accumulation of combustible dust on conveying equipment, equipment supports, electrical boxes, pipes, trusses and ledges.    B.  Processing Area, Benefication Line:  On, or about, August 28, 2013, dust had accumulated on a compressed air receiver tank located under the Sorting Station.  The pressure relief valve was submerged in the dust.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Abate by

Feb 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(b)(7)(iii): Internal parts of electrical equipment, including busbars, wiring terminals, insulators, and other surfaces, were damaged or contaminated by foreign materials such as paint, plaster, cleaners, abrasives, or corrosive residues:   A.  Opti-Line Picking Station:  On, or about, August 28, 2013, the dust generated from the conveying process had accumulated in the conveyor control box.   B.  Opti-Line:  On, or about, August 28, 2013, dust had accumulated in the electrical disconnect box located next to the main control console and near the cross conveyor.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(2): Floor(s) of workroom(s) were not maintained in a clean and, so far as possible, a dry condition:  Compressor Room:  On, or about, August 29, 2013, water was leaking onto the floor due to broken condensation lines on the air compressor.  An electrical transformer was sitting in the pooled water.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(c)(1): Open-sided floors and/or platforms four feet or more above adjacent floor or ground level were not guarded with standard railings (or equivalent) and toeboards:    A.  Processing Area:  On, or about August 28, 2013, the guardrail system provided on the Opti-Line "second shaker" platform did not protect the entire length of the platform.  B.  Outside Truck Loading Ramp:  On, or about, August 29, 2013, guardrails had not been provided on the concrete block and earthen ramp provided for truck drivers to access the trailers.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $960 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.24(e): Fixed stairs were not installed at angles to the horizontal of between 30 and 50 degrees:  Processing Line:  On, or about, August 28, 2013, the stairs that provided access to the Opti-Line "second sorter" platform were installed at an angle of approximately 58 degrees to the horizontal.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,200 · Current $720 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.36(g)(2): Exit access(es) were not at least 28 inches (71.1 cm) wide at all points:  A.  Railcar Loading Bay:  On, or about, August 29, 2013, the space provided for egress from the conveyor area of the bay was measured to be 17.5 inches wide.     B.  Rear Exterior Door:  On, or about, August 29, 2013, concrete blocks used to build a storage bunker had been positioned along the exterior wall, leaving a space measured to be 16 inches wide between the wall and blocks.  Adequate access was not provided to the Exit door located in the exterior wall.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Abate by

Feb 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(1): The employer did not establish a program consisting of an energy control procedure, employee training and periodic inspections to ensure that before any employee performed any servicing or maintenance on a machine or equipment where the unexpected energizing, startup or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the machine or equipment shall be isolated from the energy source and rendered inoperative:   Processing Area:  On, or about, August 29, 2013, the company had not developed and implemented a lockout/tagout program to protect employees while servicing and maintaining equipment in the plant.     Abatement Note:  The equipment in the facility contained multiple energy sources such as electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic energy sources.  Specific procedures are required to be developed to ensure that all energy sources on each piece of equipment will be secured before work commences.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Abate by

Feb 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,200 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 running nip points and rotating parts:   Processing Area:  On, or about, August 28, 2013, the following conveyor lines were not adequately safeguarded:  A.     Benefication Line:  The conveyor system was not provided with a pre-start up alarm and delay to alert employees that the equipment was about to start.  Also, neither guarding nor emergency stop devices had been provided in areas where employees could be injured by the conveyor system such as, but not limited to, the feed conveyor head pulley and the recycle conveyor head pulley.  B.     Opti-Line:  The conveyor system was not provided with a pre-start up alarm and delay to alert employees that the equipment was about to start.  Also, neither guarding nor emergency stop devices had been provided in areas where employees could be injured by the conveyor system such as, but not limited to, the head pulley for the inclined feed conveyor and the tail pulley provided on the cross conveyor and the ceramic kick-out conveyor.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(b)(7)(i): Unused openings in boxes, raceways, auxillary gutters, cabinets, equipment cases, or housings were not effectively closed to afford protection substanially equivalent to the wall of the equipment:  Compressor Room:  On, or about, August 29, 2013, an large opening was left in the front of the Square D I-Line electrical panel exposing the live buss bar and breaker lugs.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $960 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(g)(1)(i)(A): For electric equipment operating at 600 volts, nominal, or less to ground, and likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance while energized, the depth of the working space in the direction of access to live parts was less than indicated in Table S-1 of Subpart S of Part 1910:   Processing Area, Exterior Wall Behind Opti-Line: On, or about, August 29, 2013, a concrete block had been placed in front of the Square D I-Line distribution panel for protection, but did not allow clear working space in front of the panel.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(g)(1)(i)(C): For electric equipment operating at 600 volts, nominal, or less to ground, and likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance while energized, the width of work space was not clear and did not extend from the grade, floor, or platform to the height required by paragraph (g)(1)(vi) of 29 CFR 1910.303.  Other equipment associated with the electrical installation and located above or below the electric equipment extended more than six inches beyond the front of the electric equipment:   Compressor Room:  On, or about, August 29, 2013. a Heviduty transformer was installed in front of a wall mounted circuit breaker box.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,200 · Current $720 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(g)(1)(iv)(A): Flexible cords and/or cables were used as a substitute for the fixed wiring of a structure:  A.  Processing Area, Opti-Line:  On, or about, August 28, 2013, an extension cord was used to energize the moisture valves provided on the air receiver tanks located under the ceramic and amber optical sortation stations.  B.  Processing Area, Benefication Line:  On, or about, August 28, 2013, an extension cord was used to energize the blower unit located on the recycle conveyor.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Abate by

Feb 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,680 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.332(b)(1): Employees were not trained in and familiar with the safety-related work practices required by 1910.331 through 1910.335 that pertained to their respective job assignments:   Processing Area:  On, or about August 29, 2013, maintenance personnel had not been trained regarding what work practices and protective equipment was required to protect them against electric shock, arc flash and arc blast hazards while performing live trouble-shooting and when verifying whether or not electrical equipment was properly de-energized.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Abate by

Feb 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.335(a)(1)(i): Employees working in areas where there were potential electrical hazards were not provided with electrical protective equipment that was appropriate for the specific parts of the body that needed to be protected and for the work being performed:   Processing Area:  On, or about, August 29, 2013, personal protective equipment such as, but not limited to, voltage rated gloves, fire resistive clothing, face shields, balaclavas and voltage rated hard hats were not provided to employees who performed live electrical work, including trouble-shooting, or who verified that electrical equipment was properly de-energized.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Abate by

Feb 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $400 · Current $240 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.29(a): 29 CFR 1904.29(a) A log of all Work-Related Injury and Illnesses (OSHA Form 300), or equivalent forms were not kept by the establishment:      Company:  The company did not maintain an OSHA 300 log.  An injury that occurred on August 13, 2013, had not been recorded.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(5): Fan blade guards, where the periphery of the blades was less than seven feet above the floor or working level, had openings larger than one half inch:   Opti-Line:  On, or about, August 28, 2013, the expanded metal guard provided on the paper blower located on the "second sifter" platform had openings that exceeded one half of an inch.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Abate by

Feb 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(b)(2): Listed or labeled electrical equipment was not used or installed in accordance with instructions included in the listing or labeling:   Maintenance Shop:  On, or about, August 29, 2013, a Belkin relocatable power tap was used to energize a Black & Decker refrigerator and an Emerson microwave oven.  Relocatable power taps are not listed for use with high power load equipment such as appliances.