OSHA Inspection: THOMASVILLE LUMBER & REMANUFACTURING LLC

Issued

Sep 29, 2014

Abate by

Oct 24, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,400 · Current $429 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 a struck-by hazard while operating forklifts without wearing seatbelts:    a)  At the facility, on July 24, 2014, the employer failed to ensure that the operator of a Toyota forklift fastened his seatbelt, exposing employees to struck-by and entrapment hazards following a tip over or collision.    FEASIBLE MEANS OF ABATEMENT: Follow manufacturer's requirement to wear a seatbelt, prior to operation.      ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION IS NOT REQUIRED

Issued

Sep 29, 2014

Abate by

Oct 24, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(a)(3): Exit route(s) were not kept free and unobstructed:    a) Production Area, North exit door to outside loading area, on or about and at times preceding to July 24, 2014, exit door was obstructed by wooden pallets/stacks and drum.    b) Production Area, West door behind Planer, on or about and at times preceding to July 24, 2014, exit was blocked by wooden pallets/stacks.

Issued

Sep 29, 2014

Abate by

Oct 24, 2014

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $286 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(b)(6): Each exit sign was not illuminated to a surface value of at least five foot-candles (54 lux) by a reliable light source and be distinctive in color:    a) Production Area, all exit signs, on or about and at times proceeding to July 24, 2014, exit signs throughout the facility were not illuminated.

Issued

Sep 29, 2014

Abate by

Oct 24, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $357 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1): The employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.9(c) through (o) whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale, or equivalently a dose of fifty percent:    a) In the Production Plant, on or about July 24, 2014 and at times prior to, the employer did not institute an effective hearing conservation program for a feeder operator who was exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 94.1 dBA during the 320 minute sampling period, which is 3.56 times the Action Level of 85 dBA, resulting in a progressive hearing loss hazard.    b) In the Production Plant, on or about July 24, 2014 and at times prior to, the employer did not institute an effective hearing conservation program for a stacker operator who was exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 95.8 dBA during the 327 minute sampling period, which is 4.49 times the Action Level of 85 dBA, resulting in a progressive hearing loss hazard.    c) In the Production Plant, on or about July 24, 2014 and at times prior to, the employer did not institute an effective hearing conservation program for a feeder operator who was exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 90.7 dBA during the 321 minute sampling period, which is 2.21 times the Action Level of 85 dBA, resulting in a progressive hearing loss hazard.      An effective hearing conservation program [see CFR 1910.95(c) through (n)] shall include at a  minimum [for all employees exposed to noise levels with 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA)   of 85 dBA] the following elements:          1. Representative noise sampling to determine who must be included in the hearing        conservation program [see 1910.95(d)]        2. The notification of employees exposed to the above noise levels [see 1910.95(e)]        3. Employee observation of the above monitoring [see 1910.95(f)]        4. A baseline audiogram for all employees exposed to noise levels equal to or in excess        of the 8-hour TWA of 85 dBA [see 1910.95(g)]        5. Yearly audiograms for each overexposed employee.  These audiograms shall meet the        requirements of 1910.95(h). Testing shall be performed on instruments that meet the        performance and calibration requirements of 1910.95(h) and appendices C, D, and E of        6. A variety of hearing protectors made available to all overexposed employees [see        1910.95(i)]. Hearing protection mandatory for employees exposed to noise levels above        90 dBA [see 1910.95(j)]        7. A training program emphasizing the following: the purpose of fitting, advantages and        disadvantages of hearing protectors, the purpose and explanation of audiometric testing,        and the effects of noise [see 1910.95(k)]        8. Employee access to copies of the noise standard (1910.95) and information pertaining        to the standard [see 1910.95(l)].        9. Maintenance of employee exposure records and access to those records [see 1910.95(n)

Issued

Sep 29, 2014

Abate by

Oct 24, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(5)(i): The employer did not establish, within 6 months of an employee's first exposure at or above the action level, a valid baseline audiogram against which subsequent audiograms can be compared:  a) In the Production Plant, on or about July 24, 2014 and at times prior to, the employer did not institute an effective hearing conservation program for a feeder operator who was exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 90.7 dBA during the 321 minute sampling period, which is 2.21 times the Action Level of 85 dBA, was not provided a baseline audiogram - resulting in a progressive hearing loss hazard.

Issued

Sep 29, 2014

Abate by

Oct 24, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $357 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:    (a) Plant Facility/Production Facility, on or about and at times preceding to July 24, 2014, the employer had not established an energy control program for workplace equipment such as but not limited to: trim saw, and planar.

Issued

Sep 29, 2014

Abate by

Oct 24, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,400 · Current $429 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)(i): The employer did not ensure that each powered industrial truck operator is competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely, as demonstrated by the successful completion of the training and evaluation specified in this paragraph (l):    a) Throughout Production Facility, on or about and at times proceeding to July 24, 2014, powered industrial truck operators had not received operator training.

Issued

Sep 29, 2014

Abate by

Oct 24, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.213(c)(2): Hand-fed circular ripsaw(s) were not furnished with a spreader to prevent material from squeezing the saw or being thrown back on the operator:    (a) Production Facility, on or about and at times proceeding to July 24, 2014, chain driven trim saw was not equipped with anti-kickback feature, subjecting employees to struck by hazards.

Issued

Sep 29, 2014

Abate by

Oct 24, 2014

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $286 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(d)(1): Pulley(s) with part(s) seven feet or less from the floor or work platform were not guarded in accordance with the requirements specified in 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o):    (a) Plant Facility, Planer Area Conveyor, on or about July 24, 2014, current guard and enclosing belt and pulley did not fully close the pulley end, exposing employees to laceration hazards.

Issued

Sep 29, 2014

Abate by

Oct 24, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $500

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(f)(3): Sprocket wheels and chains which were seven -7 feet or less above floors or platforms were not enclosed:    (a) Plant Facility, trim saw area, on or about and at times preceding to July 24, 2014, chain and sprocket was not guarded, exposing employees to laceration hazards.

Issued

Sep 29, 2014

Abate by

Oct 24, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $357 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(g)(1)(vi)(B): A three foot minimum clearance was not maintained for headroom of working spaces about service equipment, switchboards, panel boards, or motor control centers.    a) Production Area, on or about and at times preceding to July 24, 2014, electrical panels located on North wall were blocked by wooden pallets/stacks. A clearance of 31 inches was measured.

Issued

Sep 29, 2014

Abate by

Oct 24, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.157(c)(4): Portable fire extinguishers were not kept in their designated places at all times except during use:  (a) Throughout Production Area, on or about and at times preceding to July 24, 2014, fire extinguishers signage, indicating the fire extinguisher to be present was absent of a fire extinguisher.

Issued

Sep 29, 2014

Abate by

Oct 24, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): The employer did not develop, implement, and/or maintain at the workplace a written hazard communication program which describes how the criteria specified in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f), (g), and (h) will be met:  (a) Production Facility, on or about and at times proceeding to July 24, 2014, the employer had not developed a written hazard communication program to address workplace chemicals such as, but not limited to: propane, hydraulic fluids, wood dust, and lubricants.

Issued

Sep 29, 2014

Abate by

Oct 24, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:  a) Production Area, on or about and at times preceding to July 24, 2014, employees were not given training on the hazards of the chemicals in the workplace such as but not limited to: wood dust, propane, lubricants and hydraulic oil.

Issued

Sep 29, 2014

Abate by

Oct 24, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8): The employer did not maintain copies of the required material safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical in the workplace:  a) Production Facility, on or about and at times preceding to July 24, 2014, the employer did not maintain a safety data sheet for worksite chemicals such as, but not limited to: propane, wood dust, and hydraulic fluid.