OSHA Inspection: ACTION COUPLING & EQUIPMENT, INC.

Issued

Aug 4, 2015

Abate by

Sep 6, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $2,100

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1): The employer shall administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program, as described in paragraphs (c) through (o) of this section, whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level (TWA) of 85 decibels measured on the A scale (slow response) or, equivalently, a dose of fifty percent. For purposes of the hearing conservation program, employee noise exposures shall be computed in accordance with appendix A and Table G-16a, and without regard to any attenuation provided by the use of personal protective equipment.  a) An Automatics area employee, operating ACME Gridley automatic screw machines numbered A6, A13, and A20 during their work day, was exposed to continuous noise at 70.5% which exceeded the Action Level (AL) of 50%, an 8-hour Time Weighted Average (TWA) sound level of 85.0 dBA. The employee's 8-hour TWA sound level was approximately 87.5 dBA during the 473 minute sampling period on June 18, 2015. Exposure calculations included a zero increment for the 7 minutes not sampled. A continuing and effective hearing conservation program had not been implemented.  b) An Automatics area employee, operating ACME Gridley automatic screw machines numbered A2, A8, and A12 during their work day, was exposed to continuous noise at 74.9% which exceeded the Action Level (AL) of 50%, an 8-hour Time Weighted Average (TWA) sound level of 85.0 dBA. The employee's 8-hour TWA sound level was approximately 87.9 dBA during the 480 minute sampling period on June 18, 2015. A continuing and effective hearing conservation program had not been implemented.

Issued

Aug 4, 2015

Abate by

Sep 6, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(d)(1): When information indicates that any employee's exposure may equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels, the employer shall develop and implement a monitoring program.  a) At the establishment, in the automatics department, a noise monitoring program had not been implemented for employees operating the ACME Gridley automatic screw machines exposing employees to noise induced hearing loss.

Issued

Aug 4, 2015

Abate by

Sep 6, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(1): The employer shall establish and maintain an audiometric testing program as provided in this paragraph by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels.   a) At the establishment, in the automatics department, employees operating the ACME Gridley automatic screw machines were exposed to noise above an 8-hour time weighted average of 85 decibels and audiometric testing had not been performed exposing the employees to noise induced hearing loss.

Issued

Aug 4, 2015

Abate by

Sep 6, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(k)(1): The employer shall train each employee who is exposed to noise at or above an 8-hour time weighted average of 85 decibels in accordance with the requirements of this section. The employer shall institute a training program and ensure employee participation in the program.   a) At the establishment, in the automatics department, employees exposed to noise above an 8-hour time weighted average of 85 decibels when operating the ACME Gridley automatic screw machines had not received the training required by 29 CFR 1910.95 exposing the employees to noise induced hearing loss.

Issued

Aug 4, 2015

Abate by

Oct 16, 2015

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $4,900

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1): Types of guarding. One or more methods of machine guarding shall be 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. Examples of guarding methods are-barrier guards, two-hand tripping devices,electronic safety devices, etc.  a) In the Automatics Department, the automatic screw machine #A2 was not guarded to protect employees from rotating parts, pinch points, flying chips, sharp strands of scrap metal, and the point of operation thus exposing employees to caught-by and amputation hazards.   b) In the Automatics Department, the automatic screw machine #A6 was not guarded to protect employees from  rotating parts, pinch points, flying chips, sharp strands of scrap metal, and the point of operation thus exposing employees to caught-by and amputation hazards.   c) In the Automatics Department, the automatic screw machine #A7 was not guarded to protect employees from rotating parts, pinch points, flying chips, sharp strands of scrap metal, and the point of operation thus exposing employees to caught-by and amputation hazards.    d) In the Automatics Department, the automatic screw machine #A8 was not guarded to protect employees from rotating parts, pinch points, flying chips, sharp strands of scrap metal, and the point of operation thus exposing employees to caught-by and amputation hazards.   e) In the Automatics Department, the automatic screw machine #A12 was not guarded to protect employees from rotating parts, pinch points, flying chips, sharp strands of scrap metal, and the point of operation thus exposing employees to caught-by and amputation hazards.   f) In the Automatics Department, the automatic screw machine #A13 was not guarded to protect employees from rotating parts, pinch points, flying chips, sharp strands of scrap metal, and the point of operation thus exposing employees to caught-by and amputation hazards.   g) In the Automatics Department, the automatic screw machine #A20 was not guarded to protect employees from rotating parts, pinch points, flying chips, sharp strands of scrap metal, and the point of operation thus exposing employees to caught-by and amputation hazards.   h) In the Automatics Department, the automatic screw machine #A27 was not guarded to protect employees from rotating parts, pinch points, flying chips, sharp strands of scrap metal, and the point of operation thus exposing employees to caught-by and amputation hazards.

Issued

Aug 4, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $2,100

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(f)(3): Sprockets and chains. All sprocket wheels and chains shall be enclosed unless they are more than seven (7) feet above the floor or platform. Where the drive extends over other machine or working areas, protection against falling shall be provided. This subparagraph does not apply to manually operated sprockets.  a) In the Automatics Department, at automatic screw machine #12, the scrap conveyor located at the bottom of the machine was missing a guard on its chain and sprocket exposing employees to a nip point hazard.

Issued

Aug 4, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(2)(i): All pull boxes, junction boxes, and fittings shall be provided with covers identified for the purpose. If metal covers are used, they shall be grounded. In completed installations, each outlet box shall have a cover, faceplate, or fixture canopy. Covers of outlet boxes having holes through which flexible cord pendants pass shall be provided with bushings designed for the purpose or shall have smooth, well-rounded surfaces on which the cords may bear.  a) In the Automatics Department, at automatic screw machine #27 the cover plate to an electrical junction box was missing exposing employees to an electrical shock hazard.