OSHA Inspection: SEELER INDUSTRIES, INC.

Issued

Jul 31, 2014

Abate by

Sep 17, 2014

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i): Procedures shall be developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees are engaged in the activities covered by this section.   Note: Exception: The employer need not document the required procedure for a particular machine or equipment, when all of the following elements exist: (1) The machine or equipment has no potential for stored or residual energy or reaccumulation of stored energy after shut down which could endanger employees; (2) the machine or equipment has a single energy source which can be readily identified and isolated; (3) the isolation and locking out of that energy source will completely deenergize and deactivate the machine or equipment; (4) the machine or equipment is isolated from that energy source and locked out during servicing or maintenance; (5) a single lockout device will achieve a locker-out condition; (6) the lockout device is under the exclusive control of the authorized employee performing the servicing or maintenance; (7) the servicing or maintenance does not create hazards for other employees; and (8) the employer, in utilizing this exception, has had no accidents involving the unexpected activation or reenergization of the machine or equipment during servicing or maintenance.    Production Building 101 - On or about February 5, 2014, employees (a supervisor and two maintenance employees) were required to remove an old pump and install a new pump on the 311 tank. The company's written energy control program did not include equipment specific step-by-step lockout procedures for the 311 tank repairs. Employee(s) were thereby exposed to the hazards of inadvertent start-up of the equipment and/or release of stored hazardous energy.

Issued

Jul 31, 2014

Abate by

Sep 17, 2014

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A): Each authorized employee shall receive training in the recognition of applicable hazardous energy sources, the type and magnitude of the energy available in the workplace, and the methods and means necessary for energy isolation and control.    Production Building 101 - On or about February 5, 2014, authorized employees (a supervisor and two maintenance employees) were required to remove an old pump and install a new pump on the 311 tank. Adequate training was not provided to ensure that authorized employees acquired the knowledge and skills required for the safe application, usage and removal of the energy control devices while performing maintenance and/or service on the 311 tank. Employees were thereby exposed to the hazards of inadvertent start-up of the equipment and/or release of stored hazardous energy.

Issued

Jul 31, 2014

Abate by

Sep 17, 2014

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(f)(3)(ii)(D): Each authorized employee shall affix a personal lockout or tagout device to the group lockout device, group lockbox, or comparable mechanism when he or she begins work, and shall remove those devices when he or she stops working on the machine or equipment being serviced or maintained.    Production Building 101 - On or about February 5, 2014, authorized employees (a supervisor and two maintenance employees) were required to remove an old pump and install a new pump on the 311 tank. Each authorized employee did not affix a personal lockout device to the electrical disconnects and valves associated with the 311 tank repair before beginning the work. Employees were thereby exposed to the hazards associated with a inadvertent startup of the equipment and/or release of stored hazardous energy.

Issued

Jun 27, 2014

Abate by

Aug 14, 2014

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $3,920 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.332(b)(1): Practices addressed in this standard. Employees shall be trained in and familiar with the safety-related work practices required by 1910.331 through 1910.335 that pertain to their respective job assignments.    Throughout facility - On or about January 1, 2014, employee(s) testing live parts including, but not limited to, 480 volt buss fuses, were not trained in and familiar with safety-related work practices required by 29 CFR 1910.331 through 29 CFR 1910.335 that pertain to their respective job assignments. Employee(s) were thereby exposed to the hazards associated with live electrical parts.

Issued

Jun 27, 2014

Abate by

Aug 14, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.333(a)(1): "Deenergized parts." Live parts to which an employee may be exposed shall be deenergized before the employee works on or near them, unless the employer can demonstrate that deenergizing introduces additional or increased hazards or is infeasible due to equipment design or operational limitations. Live parts that operate at less than 50 volts to ground need not be deenergized if there will be no increased exposure to electrical burns or to explosion due to electric arcs. Note 1: Examples of increased or additional hazards include interruption of life support equipment, deactivation of emergency alarm systems, shutdown of hazardous location ventilation equipment, or removal of illumination for an area. Note 2: Examples of work that may be performed on or near energized circuit parts because of infeasibility due to equipment design or operational limitations include testing of electric circuits that can only be performed with the circuit energized and work on circuits that form an integral part of a continuous industrial process in a chemical plant that would otherwise need to be completely shut down in order to permit work on one circuit or piece of equipment. Note 3: Work on or near deenergized parts is covered by paragraph (b) of this section.  Throughout facility - On or about January 1, 2014, employee(s) tested live parts including, but not limited to, 480 volt buss fuses. Employee(s) testing live parts including, but not limited to 480 volt buss fuses were not de-energized before the employee worked on or near them. Employee(s) were thereby exposed to the hazards associated with live electrical parts.

Issued

Jun 27, 2014

Abate by

Aug 14, 2014

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $3,920 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.335(a)(1)(i): Employees working in areas where there are potential electrical hazards shall be provided with, and shall use, electrical protective equipment that is appropriate for the specific parts of the body to be protected and for the work to be performed.   Note: Personal protective equipment requirements are contained in subpart I of this part.    Throughout facility - On or about January 1, 2014, employee(s) testing live parts including, but not limited to, 480 volt buss fuses, were not provided with electrical protective equipment that is appropriate for specific parts of the body to be protected and for the work to be performed. Employee(s) were thereby exposed to the hazards associated with live electrical parts.