OSHA Inspection: KRUEGER STEEL & WIRE, INC.

Issued

May 22, 2014

Abate by

Jun 27, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $1,260 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.138(b): The employer did not base the selection of appropriate hand protection on an evaluation of the performance characteristics of the hand protection relative to the tasks to be performed, conditions present, duration of use, and the hazards and potential hazards identified:     An employee of Krueger Steel & Wire, Inc., was required to add powdered calcium hydroxide to the Lime tank in the pickling area.  The employee was provided with cotton work gloves for this task, which did not provide protection against the corrosive characteristic of the powder.     Abatement certification is required of this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(c).

Issued

May 22, 2014

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(1): The employer did not evaluate the workplace to determine if any spaces were permit-required confined spaces:     Krueger Steel & Wire, Inc., owns and operates a pickling line at its facility in Elmhurst, Illinois.  The line has five tanks which hold various chemical solutions for the pickling operation.  The five tanks are permit-required confined spaces.  The employer did not evaluate the workplace to determine if these tanks were permit-required confined spaces.     This item was corrected during the inspection.

Issued

May 22, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(2): The employer did not inform exposed employees, by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means, of the existence and location of and the danger posed by the permit spaces:   Krueger Steel & Wire, Inc., did not inform exposed employees, by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means, of the existence of and the danger posed by the tanks in the pickling area which are permit-required confined spaces.   This item was corrected during the inspection.

Issued

May 22, 2014

Abate by

Jun 27, 2014

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4): When the employer decided that its employees would enter permit spaces, the employer did not develop and implement a written permit space entry program that complied with 29 CFR 1910.146:     Employees at Krueger Steel & Wire, Inc. enter into the calcium hydroxide tank (lime tank) during solution change-out in order to remove sludge from the tank.  The employer did not develop and implement a written permit space entry program that complied with 29 CFR 1910.146.     Abatement certification and documentation is required of this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

May 22, 2014

Abate by

Jun 27, 2014

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(d)(3): Under the permit-required confined space program required by 29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4), the employer did not develop and implement the means, procedures, and practices necessary for safe permit space entry operations:     On or about January 24, 2014, an employee of Krueger Steel & Wire, Inc., entered the calcium hydroxide solution tank (lime tank) to clean out sludge during a solution change-out.  The employer did not develop and implement the means, procedures, and practices necessary for safe permit space entry operations to remove hazardous conditions including, but not limited to, heat from the heating elements, mechanical energy from the agitators, and the engulfment hazard from the water line.     Certification and documentation are required of this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).