OSHA Inspection: MP GLOBAL PRODUCTS, LLC

Issued

Jan 28, 2015

Abate by

Mar 30, 2018

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $7,000

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 to employees:  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 to employees in that employees were exposed to fire, deflagration and explosion hazards.  The most recent example of this was found on the job site located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701 where the employer has employees working in the facility where the nature of the process produces residual combustible dust and exposes employees to fire and explosion hazards.  Instances include but are not limited to:   1)         Employees relying on the enclosure less dust collection system they have in place in the ?filter room? on the north end of the facility to filtrate the fugitive dust out of the air yet the ?filter room? is inadequate with the following instance of failure that make using it a greater hazard to the employee.  Specifically the installation of 7 individual dust collection systems comprised of a first stage cyclone, and enclosure less bag manifold connecting 4 bags and the 4 enclosure less bags; all in the one room has created a failure to provide adequate separation between the bags as outlined in Section 7.13.1.1.2(4)(h) of the 2013 NFPA 654; this section allows enclosure less dust collector systems to be installed indoors only if the manifold assemblies systems are separated by a distance of 20 feet from each other.   Among other methods, feasible and acceptable methods of abatement are:   i.      The employer can upgrade the current dust collector to meet the NFPA 654 Section 7 requirements.   ii.     The employer can purchase and install a new system that meets NFPA 654 Section 7 requirements.   2)         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 to employees in that employees were exposed to fire, deflagration and explosion hazards.  The most recent example of this was found on the job site located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701 where the employer has employees working in the facility while relying on the thermal oil heaters located along the east wall of the facility to heat the thermal fluid (oil) for the ovens yet the location of the oil heating system boilers using it a greater hazard to the employee.  Specifically the boilers are fueled by natural gas; the natural gas piping valve train does not include the customary double safety shutoff valve.  The boilers present two hazards:     a.     They are considered an ignition source for combustible dust deflagrations/explosions by Section 9.6 of the 2013 NFPA 654 which requires that they be located outdoors or in a separate dust-free room/building and that combustion air come from outside.   b.    If a boiler explodes due to known common failure modes (e.g. over firing, loss of flame, etch.) a pressure wave would shake the building dispersing all the accumulated combustible dust near the boiler and start a secondary explosion with potentially catastrophic results.                Among other methods, feasible and acceptable methods of abatement are:   i.      The employer can upgrade the current dust collector to meet the NFPA 654 Section 7 requirements.   ii.     The employer can purchase and install a new system that meets NFPA 654 Section 7 requirements.   3)         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 to employees in that employees were exposed to fire, deflagration and explosion hazards.  The most recent example of this was found on the job site located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701 where the employer has employees working in the facility while relying on nonmetallic duct, in this case four inch PVC pipe to move the discharge from the centrifugal fan; the PVC is not conductive, metal or noncombustible thus increasing the potential for employee injury as the result of a fire or deflagration/explosion   Among other methods, feasible and acceptable methods of abatement are:   i.      The employer can upgrade the current dust collector to meet the NFPA 654 Section 9 requirements.   ii.     The employer can purchase and install a new system that meets NFPA 654 Section 9 requirements.

Issued

Jan 28, 2015

Abate by

Jul 30, 2016

Penalty

Initial $6,300 · Current $7,000

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.    The employer is failing to protect employees from fire and explosion hazards associated with working in a facility with an excessive amount of flammable/explosive dust build up on horizontal services.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701; where the employer has employees manufacturing under lament padding made of ground cotton fibers from old denim, the result is a flammable/explosive, very light fluffy dust that resembles lint and whatever is not collected in the facilities dust collection system is settling on the horizontal surfaces throughout the facility as thick as an inch in some locations.

Issued

Jan 28, 2015

Abate by

Jul 30, 2016

Penalty

Initial $6,300 · Current $7,000

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:Note:  Toeboards are only required when persons can pass, there is moving equipment or there is equipment with which falling materials could create a hazard.     The employer is failing to protect employees from fall hazards associated with working near inadequately protected edges exposing employees to a fall hazard over 4 feet.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701; where the employer has employees conducting maintenance of equipment and cleaning the facility off a work platform over 12 ½ feet above the ground below without adequate guard railing.

Issued

Jan 28, 2015

Abate by

Jul 30, 2016

Penalty

Initial $3,600 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.24(h): Standard railings were not provided on the open sides of all exposed stairways and stair platforms:    The employer is failing to protect employees from fall hazards associated with failing to have mid-railing installed as part of the standard guard railing along the open sides of a fixed industrial stair case.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701, where the employer has employees using the fixed industrial stairs with inadequate guard railing to access the control platform located between the end of the shredding lines and the ovens.

Issued

Jan 28, 2015

Abate by

Jul 30, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.156(b)(1): The employer elected to establish a fire brigade, and a statement or written policy was not maintained which establishes the existence of a fire brigade; the basic organizational structure; the type, amount and frequency of training to be provided to fire brigade members; the expected number of members in the fire brigade and the functions that the fire brigade is to perform at the workplace:    The employer is failing to protect employees from fire hazards associated with fighting work place fires as part of a company fire brigade without having met all the requirements of this standard.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701; where the employer has employees, mostly supervisors assigned the duties as part of the company fire brigade to fight non-structural fires in the work place before calling for assistance from the local Fire Department without having developed and implemented a written policy that outlines the methods in which those employees will operate, train and most importantly evaluate the fire hazard so as to determine when they will be required to call for professional firefighting assistance.

Issued

Jan 28, 2015

Abate by

Jul 30, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.156(b)(2): The employer did not assure that employees who are expected to do interior structural fire fighting are physically capable of performing duties which may be assigned to them during emergencies:    The employer is failing to protect employees from fire hazards associated with fighting work place fires as part of a company fire brigade without having first been evaluated by a physician to ascertain the employees physical condition.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701; where the employer has employees, mostly supervisors assigned the duties as part of the company fire brigade to fight non-structural fires in the work place before calling for assistance from the local Fire Department without having had those assigned employees evaluated by a physician to ascertain their physical condition before they perform these duties.

Issued

Jan 28, 2015

Abate by

Jul 30, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(4)(iii): An evaluation of each powered industrial truck operator's performance was not being conducted at least once every three years:     The employer is failing to protect employees from struck by hazards associated with operating forklifts without having been certified at least once every three years as outlined in this subpart.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701; where the employer has employees operating forklifts throughout the facility without having recertified their forklift operations within the past 3 years.

Issued

Jan 28, 2015

Abate by

Jul 30, 2016

Penalty

Initial $6,300 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1): One or more methods of machine guarding was not provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips and sparks:     The employer is failing to protect employees from in going nip points and amputation hazards associated with working near inadequately guarded equipment.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701; where the employer has employees working on and near inadequately guarded machines.  Instances include but are not limited to:     i.      Employees operating and exposed to in going nip points and amputation hazards on the Hoppers on shredding lines 1-6   ii.     Employees operating and exposed to in going nip points and amputation hazards Bema Mixer   iii.    Employees operating and exposed to in going nip points and amputation hazards Bema Openers   iv.    Employees operating and exposed to in going nip points and amputation hazards Bema Blows   v.     Employees operating and exposed to in going nip points and amputation hazards Bema Former at the beginning of the oven.   vi.    Employees operating and exposed to in going nip points and amputation hazards Bema slitter   vii.   Employees operating and exposed to in going nip points and amputation hazards Through air oven Strahm   viii.  Employees operating and exposed to in going nip points and amputation hazards Press oven Hyp (Red color in cabinet)   ix.    Employees operating and exposed to in going nip points and amputation hazards Slitter; resulting in an incident where an employee had her hand caught leaving severe bruising.   x.     Employees operating and exposed to in going nip points and amputation hazards Slicer   xi.    Employees operating and exposed to in going nip points and amputation hazards Devine Rolls     xii.   Employees operating and exposed to in going nip points and amputation hazards Laminator on first floor; resulted in an incident where an employee had part of her hand caught between the rollers causing a laceration to the hand and leaving severe bruising.   xiii.  Employees operating and exposed to in going nip points and amputation hazards Roll-ups

Issued

Jan 28, 2015

Abate by

Jul 30, 2016

Penalty

Initial $3,600 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(c)(2)(i): All exposed part(s) of horizontal shafting seven (7) feet or less from floor or working platform were not protected by stationary casing(s) enclosing shafting completely or by trough(s) enclosing sides and top or sides and bottom of shafting:    The employer is failing to protect employees from laceration and amputation hazards associated with working near inadequately guarded horizontal rotating shafts.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701; where the employer has employees working on and near equipment that has inadequately guarded horizontal rotating shafts.  Instances include but are not limited to:  i.     Employees operating the slitter line exposed to an unguarded rotating shaft on the output side of the line.  CSHO evaluation showed the rotation at 12.11 rpm.   ii.    Employees operating the slicer machine exposed to an unguarded rotating shaft.  CSHO evaluation showed the rotation in excess of 12 rpm.

Issued

Jan 28, 2015

Abate by

Jul 30, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $0 Reduced

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:    The employer is failing to protect employees from in going and amputation hazards associated with working near inadequately guarded chain and sprockets.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701; where the employer has employees working on and near four inadequately guarded sets of chains and sprockets on the laminator machine.

Issued

Jan 28, 2015

Abate by

Nov 11, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $7,000

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:    The employer is failing to protect employees from electrical, fire and explosion hazards associated with having inadequately protected electrical equipment operating in a hazardous (classified) location.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701; where the employer has employees operating the bale breaker for hopper number 6 where the electrical wiring leading into the electric motor is missing a dust proof grommet thus exposing the employees to hazards.  Instance of hazards include but are not limited to:  i.      The broken flex wire way allows dust into the motor terminal or lead box where it may be fuel if the motor becomes an ignition source.    ii.     The broken flex wire way allows a path for ignition of combustible dust in the environment if an arc flash originate in the lead box (e.g., motor goes to ground).

Issued

Jan 28, 2015

Abate by

Jul 30, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(4)(iii)(C): Disposal of all regulated waste was not in accordance with applicable regulations of the United States, a State, a Territory, or a political subdivision of a State or Territory:    The employer is failing to protect employees from infectious disease hazards associated with the improper disposal of bio hazardous waste as outlined by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Title 132  Integrated Solid Waste Management Regulations Chapter 13- Special Waste.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701; where the employer has employees cleaning up after a an incident in the plant that resulted in an employee having her hand amputated and the employees disposed of the blood contaminated clean up rags through their standard trash disposal services.

Issued

Jan 28, 2015

Abate by

Jul 30, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(f)(1)(i): The employer did not make available the hepatitis B vaccine and vaccination series to all employees who have occupational exposure:     The employer is failing to protect employees from infectious disease hazards associated with cleaning up after an incident where there is human blood or other body fluids present.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701; where the employer has employees cleaning up after a an incident in the plant that resulted in an employee having her hand amputated and the employee was not afforded the opportunity to receive a Hepatitis B vaccination prior to cleaning up the contaminated site or the opportunity to consult with a doctor afterwards.

Issued

Jan 28, 2015

Abate by

Jul 30, 2016

Penalty

Initial $900 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.29(b)(1): What do I need to do to complete the OSHA 300 Log? You must enter information about your business at the top of the OSHA 300 Log, enter a one or two line description for each recordable injury or illness, and summarize this information on the OSHA 300-A at the end of the year.     The employer is failing to annotate all required information regarding a recordable employee injury or illness on the OSHA 300 log as required by this standard.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701; where the employer has employees injured at the workplace thus requiring the incident to be annotated on the current year OSHA 300 log however the employer has not filled out block f on the log as it is described in the instructions on the form leaving out the cause of the injury/illness and the part of the body that was affected.  Instances include but are not limited to:   i.      On FY 2014 300 Log; Case No. WC413C08979  it states in block F Laceration, hand; it does not say which hand and what caused the laceration.   ii.     On FY 2014 300 Log; Case No. WC413C10060  it states in block F Laceration, Finger(s) it does not say which fingers and what caused the laceration.   iii.    On FY 2014 300 Log; Case No. WC413C12113  it states in block F Laceration, Finger(s)  it does not say which fingers and what caused the laceration.   iv.    On FY 2014 300 Log; Case No. WC413C13667  it states in block F Laceration  it does not say where on the body and what caused the laceration.   v.     On FY 2014 300 Log; Case No. WC413C14567  it states in block F Contusion it does not say where on the body and what caused the contusion.   vi.    On FY 2014 300 Log; Case No. WC413C15231  it states in block F Laceration  it does not say where on the body and what caused the laceration.   vii.   On FY 2014 300 Log; Case No. WC413C15949  it does not have any entry in block F on the form, missing what the injury was, where it is on the body and what caused the injury.

Issued

Jan 28, 2015

Abate by

Jul 30, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(6)(ii):  The employer had not certified that periodic inspections of the energy control procedures had been performed:    The employer is failing protect employees from amputation and electrical hazards associated with using written specific Lockout and Tag Out procedures that have not been certified within the past year.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701; where the employer has employees conducting maintenance of equipment that requires locking out and/or tagging out against stored hazardous energy and those employees are using written specific procedures that have not been certified by the employer within the past year.  Instances include but are not limited to:  i.      Hopper #1 on shredding line #1.

Issued

Jan 28, 2015

Abate by

Jul 30, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.307(b): Documentation for areas designated as hazardous (classified) locations under the Class and Zone system and areas designated under the Class and Division system established after August 13, 2007 was not available to those authorized to design, install, inspect, maintain, or operate electric equipment at the location:    The employer is failing to document the location of Class II Division 2 electrical wiring throughout the facility thus exposing their employees to electrical and explosion hazards.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 2500 Old Hadar Rd. Norfolk, NE 68701; where the employer has employees working on the production line without maintaining a diagram of all the Class II Division 2 wiring throughout the facility.