OSHA Inspection: AMUNEAL MANUFACTURING CORPORATION

Issued

Nov 4, 2015

Abate by

Feb 8, 2016

Penalty

Initial $6,300 · Current $4,095 Reduced

Hazardous substances E200W103

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 fire and explosion hazards due to deficient design and/or implementation of preventive and/or protective measures in its dust collection system and related equipment, such as the following:      Amuneal workshop located at 4507 Paul Street, Philadelphia, PA - Two enclosureless Nederman S Series Bag Filters, a Model S-1000 with a suction capacity of 4,000-5,000 cubic feet per minute (cfm) located in the rough mill and a Model S-750 with a suction capacity of 2,400-4,500 cfm located in the fabrication area, which handled Class II wood dust, were located inside the building and:    a) The dust collectors were located within 20 feet of employee work stations and main aisle ways. The collected dust was not removed daily or more frequently if necessary. The fan motors were not totally enclosed fan cooled design.   The collector was used for dust pick up other than wood; dust collected included metal shavings.  Condition noted on or about 8/13/15.        Abatement Note: Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct the hazard is to ensure that dust collectors which are used indoors comply with NFPA 664 (2012) Prevention of Fires and Explosions in Wood Processing and Woodworking Facilities.      In accordance with NFPA 664, Chapter 8, Section 8.2.2.5.1.4 (7) the criteria that need to be met in order to allow an enclosureless dust collector indoors are:    1) The collector is used only for dust pickup from wood processing machinery;  2) The collector is not used on sanders or abrasive planners having mechanical material feeds;   3) The fan motor is totally enclosed, fan-cooled design;   4) The collected dust is removed daily or more frequently if necessary to ensure efficient operation;   5) The collector is located at least 20 ft. from any means of egress or area routinely occupied by personnel {Note Per NFPA 101 Life Safety Code -The means of egress consists of exit routes, the exit door, and the public way (i.e. safe zone outside the building}   6) Multiple collectors in the same room are separated from each other by at least 20 ft.   7) Collector cannot exceed a maximum air handling capacity of 5,000 CFM.    **NOTE** all the criteria must meet.        b) Amuneal workshop located at 4507 Paul Street, Philadelphia, PA - The employer did not establish and implement a comprehensive inspection, testing, and maintenance program of the dust collection systems.  Condition noted on or about 8/13/15.    Abatement Note:  Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct the hazard is to comply with relevant provisions in NFPA 664 (2012) Prevention of Fires and Explosions in Wood Processing and Woodworking Facilities, such as:    Section 10.2 of NFPA 664 (2012) requires that an inspection, testing, and maintenance program be developed and implemented to ensure that the fire and explosion protection systems and related process controls and equipment perform as designed and Section 10.3 of NFPA 664 (2012) requires that records be kept of maintenance and repairs performed.       c) Amuneal workshop located 4507 Paul Street, Philadelphia, PA - Surfaces of planers, saws and other woodworking equipment were cleaned by blowing down with compressed air.  Observed on or about 5/5/15.    Abatement Note:  Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to comply with relevant provisions in NFPA 664 (2012) Prevention of Fires and Explosions in Wood Processing and Woodworking Facilities, such as:       Section 11.2.1.3 of 2012 NFPA 664 requires that surfaces are cleaned in a manner that minimizes the generation of dust clouds and is permitted only if the following requirements are met:    1.  The surfaces shall be vacuumed prior to blowdown.    2.  Electrical power and other sources of ignition shall be shut down  3.  Only a low gauge pressure of 15 psi compressed air shall be used  4.  No open flames, sparks from spark-producing equipment, or hot surfaces shall exist, and   5.  All fire protection equipment shall be in service.

Issued

Nov 4, 2015

Abate by

Feb 8, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $2,925 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0515

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(5): The employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged, or marked with the identity and appropriate hazard warnings regarding the chemicals contained therein:    a) Amuneal, 4507 Paul Street, Philadelphia, PA - Secondary containers containing Lye diluted with peroxide were unlabeled and not marked with appropriate hazard warnings regarding the chemicals contained therein.  Observed on or about 5/5/15.

Issued

Nov 4, 2015

Penalty

Initial $5,400 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances W103

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)  Amuneal, 4507 Paul Street, Philadelphia, PA, Rough Mill and Fabrication Area(s):  Employees were not provided information and training on the hazards of combustible dust.  Condition noted on or about 8/13/15.

Issued

Nov 4, 2015

Abate by

Feb 8, 2016

Penalty

Initial $10,800 · Current $7,020 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1): The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee was fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace:    (a) Amuneal, 4507 Paul Street, Philadelphia, PA.  Employees conducting buffing and grinding operations, including the use of the pedestal grinder,  were required to wear a respirator including, but not limited to, 3M 8511 particulate respirator, without a medical evaluation.  Condition noted on or about 5/5/15.    Amuneal Manufacturing Corp. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard which was contained in OSHA inspection number 837803, citation number 1, item number 1b and was affirmed as a final order on July 18, 2013 with respect to a workplace located at 4737 Darrah Street, Philadelphia, PA.

Issued

Nov 4, 2015

Abate by

Dec 23, 2015

Penalty

Initial $5,400 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2): Employee(s) using tight-fitting facepiece respirators were not fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator:     a) Amuneal, 4507 Paul Street, Philadelphia, PA - Employees assigned to fabrication area were not fit tested prior to initial use of tight-fitting respirators including, but not limited to, North 7700 series with 75 FFP100 filters and MSA Advantage series GMA P100/ov cartridges, when performing spray finishing operations.  Condition noted on or about 5/5/15.

Issued

Nov 4, 2015

Abate by

Jan 31, 2016

Penalty

Initial $5,400 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(1): The Employer did not ensure that employees were provided with effective training when employees use respirators, and did not ensure that employees could demonstrate knowledge as required in (k)(1)(i)-(k)(1)(vii):     a) Amuneal, 4507 Paul Street, Philadelphia, PA - Grinding to include pedestal grinder and Spray Finishing Areas: Employees, who were required to wear respirators such as, but not limited to N95 filtering face-piece respirators with exhalation valve (3M 8511), and/or tight-fitting elastomeric respirators such as, but not limited to, MSA Advantage series with GMA P100/OV cartridges, North 7700 series with 75FFP100 cartridges, etc.  were not provided with effective respirator training.  The Employer did not ensure that employees could demonstrate knowledge as required in (k)(1)(i)-(k)(1)(vii).       Condition noted on/or about 5/5/15.