OSHA Inspection: MEREDITH POLE & TIMBER CO., INC.

Issued

Mar 26, 2015

Abate by

Apr 21, 2015

Penalty

Initial $1,200 · Current $600 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.133(a)(1): Protective eye equipment was not required where there was a reasonable probability of injury that could be prevented by such equipment:    a) Throughout Sawmill - On or about October 22, 2015 the employer did not ensure that employees utilized eye protection when performing various duties such as but not limited to filling diesel fuel, and operating equipment where employees were exposed to flying wood debris, thus exposing employees to possible eye injury.

Issued

Mar 26, 2015

Penalty

Initial $1,200 · Current $1,200

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.141(d)(2)(i): Lavatory(s) were not made available:  a) Sawmill Yard - On or about October 22, 2014, employees who work out in the mill were not provided with access to a lavatory, exposing employees to sanitation hazards.

Issued

Mar 26, 2015

Abate by

Apr 21, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,400 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) Throughout Sawmill - On or about October 22, 2014, the employer did not implement a program for energy control procedures to ensure employees were isolated from sources of energy while performing activities such as changing belts, chains, clearing jammed material, and routing maintenance on machinery, exposing employees to amputation and electrical hazards.

Issued

Mar 26, 2015

Abate by

Apr 21, 2015

Penalty

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

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:  a) Outside of Peeler Operator Booth - On or about October 22, 2014, the two rotating wheels (underneath the peeler blades) that help to feed the poles through the peeler machine were not guarded, thus exposing employees to in-running nip points (caught-in hazards).

Issued

Mar 26, 2015

Abate by

Apr 21, 2015

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.215(a)(1): Abrasive wheel(s) used on grinding machinery were not used with safety guard(s):  a) Maintenance Shop - On or about October 22, 2014, the grinding stone on the rotary knife grinder was operated without a guard, thus exposing employees to struck-by hazards.

Issued

Mar 26, 2015

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $1,600

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:  a) Hydraulic Fluid/Waste Oil Storage Area - On or about October 22, 2014, the rotating horizontal shaft on the de-barker hydraulic pump was not guarded, thus exposing employees to caught-in hazards.

Issued

Mar 26, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $2,200 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) De-Barker Infeed - On or about October 22, 2014, the drive pulley on the motor that powered the de-barker was not guarded, thus exposing employees to in-running nip points (caught-in hazards).     a) Shaker Outfeed - On or about October 22, 2014, the drive pulley on the motor that powered the overy chain was not guarded, thus exposing employees to in-running nip points (caught-in hazards).

Issued

Mar 26, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(e)(3)(i): Vertical or inclined belt(s) were not enclosed by guard(s) conforming to the requirements specified at 29 CFR 1910.219 (m) and (o):  a) De-Barker Infeed - On or about October 22, 2014, the inclined belt drive on the motor that powered the de-barker hydraulic pump was not guarded, thus exposing employees to in-running nip points (caught-in hazards).    b) Shaker Outfeed - On or about October 22, 2014, the inclined belt drive on the motor that powered the overy chain was not guarded, thus exposing employees to in-running nip points (caught-in hazards).

Issued

Mar 26, 2015

Abate by

Apr 21, 2015

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.242(b): Compressed air used for cleaning purposes was not reduced to less than 30 p.s.i.:     a) Throughout Sawmill - On or about October 22, 2014, employees cleaned dust, wood chips, and debris from walkways and work areas with air wands that did not reduce the air pressure to less than 30 psi under static conditions, resulting in an injection hazard.

Issued

Mar 26, 2015

Penalty

Initial $1,200 · Current $600 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.265(c)(5)(ii): Stairways were not provided with a standard handrail on at least one side or on any open side:     a) Storage Trailer - On or about October 22, 2014, the employer did not ensure that the six riser stairway leading up to the storage trailer platform was equipped with a standard hand rail on at least one of the open sides, exposing employees to fall hazards of up to about 4 feet.

Issued

Mar 26, 2015

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.265(c)(30)(ii): Vehicle(s) were not equipped with audible warning signal(s):    a) Throughout Sawmill - On or about October 22, 2014, employees were operating the Volvo loader identified with an inoperable back-up alarm, exposing employees to struck-by hazards.

Issued

Mar 26, 2015

Abate by

Apr 21, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.141(g)(2): Employees were permitted to consume food or beverage in area(s) exposed to toxic materials:  a) Maintenance Shop  On  or about October 22, 2014 and at times prior to, employees were allowed to prepare food in the maintenance shop where hazardous chemicals were handled, resulting in health hazards.

Issued

Mar 26, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(5)(i): The employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged or marked with the identity of the hazardous chemical(s) contained therein:  a) The diesel was used to fuel the loaders at the site.  The employer had not ensured that the diesel storage tanks located outside of the building were identified with any information related to the contents of the storage tank.

Issued

Mar 26, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(5)(ii): The employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged or marked with the appropriate hazard warnings:  a) Storage Trailer - On or about October 22, 2014 and times prior to, the employer did not ensure that the bulk diesel storage tank was labeled, tagged, or marked in any way with information regarding the hazards of the chemical,, exposing employees to possible eye and skin irritations.