OSHA Inspection: NITTA CASINGS, INC.

Issued

Mar 29, 2016

Abate by

Apr 15, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,800 Reduced

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.    a. 141 Southside Ave., Bridgewater, NJ - Production area boiler room    Boiler room / Storeroom in the production area were not kept clean and orderly.  Employees stacked empty 5 gallon cans of Methanol, Reagent ACS (flammable) in the walkway at the emergency exit creating tripping hazards.    Violation observed on or about October 6, 2015 and October 14, 2015    b. 141 Southside Ave., Bridgewater, NJ - MAT/PRO boiler room    Boiler room/storeroom in MAT/PRO was not kept clean and orderly.  Storage of equipment and materials in the boiler room was not arranged to prevent free movement of employees and created trip and fall hazards.     Violation observed on or about October 14, 2015    c. 141 Southside Ave., Bridgewater, NJ - Product Application Test Lab boiler room    Boiler room / Storeroom in the Product Application Test Lab was not kept clean and orderly.  Employees stored equipment and materials in a manner that created trip and fall hazards.     Violation observed on or about October 14, 2015    d. 141 Southside Ave., Bridgewater, NJ - MAT/PRO Boiler Room    The employer did not ensure that fire extinguishers were properly mounted and located to be accessible without subjecting employees to injury.  Fire extinguisher was sitting on the workbench and not mounted to the wall.    Violation observed on or about October 14, 2015    e. 141 Southside Ave., Bridgewater, NJ - Test Line Machine Room at exit.    The employer did not ensure that fire extinguishers were properly mounted and located to be accessible without subjecting employees to injury.  Fire extinguisher sitting next to the door and was not mounted to the wall.    Violation observed on or about October 14, 2015    f. 141 Southside Ave., Bridgewater, NJ - Product Application Test Lab - Boiler Room - entrance door    The employer did not ensure that fire extinguishers were properly mounted and located to be accessible without subjecting employees to injury.  Fire extinguisher was sitting on the floor next to the door and not mounted to the wall.    Violation observed on or about October 14, 2015    g. 141 Southside Ave., Bridgewater, NJ - Product Application Test Lab - Boiler Room - electrical panel    The employer did not ensure that fire extinguishers were properly mounted and located to be accessible without subjecting employees to injury.  Fire extinguisher was sitting on the floor and not mounted to the wall.    Violation observed on or about October 14, 2015

Issued

Mar 29, 2016

Penalty

Initial $6,000 · Current $4,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(a)(3): Exit route(s) were not kept free and unobstructed:    a. 141 Southside Avenue, Bridgewater, NJ - Exit from production area to loading docks - west side     The employer did not ensure that egress route(s) to the production facility were kept free and unobstructed.  Egress routes for employees to the exit doors were narrowed by the placement of a mobile scaffold and other equipment.       Violation observed on or about October 6, 2015    b. 141 Southside Avenue, Bridgewater, NJ - Exit from production area boiler room to loading docks - west side     The employer did not ensure that egress route(s) to the production facility were kept free and unobstructed.  Egress routes for employees to the exit doors were obstructed by the placement of materials and custodial appliances.        Violation observed on or about October 6, 2015    c. 141 Southside Avenue, Bridgewater, NJ - Exit from Product Application Test Lab boiler room     The employer did not ensure that egress route(s) to the production facility were kept free and unobstructed.  Egress routes for employees to the exit doors were obstructed by the placement of a storage cabinet.        Violation observed on or about October 14, 2015

Issued

Mar 29, 2016

Penalty

Initial $6,000 · Current $4,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(b)(2): Each exit was not clearly visible and marked by a sign reading "Exit":    a. 141 Southside Avenue, Bridgewater, NJ - North end of building to back parking lot.      The employer did not ensure the doors in the production facility that were designated as an emergency exits, were identified by signs reading "Exit" for employees and temporary employees.  Emergency exit door framed in a roll up door, designated as an emergency exit, was not marked with an "Exit" sign.       Violation observed on or about October 6, 2015

Issued

Mar 29, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(b)(4): Signs were not posted along the exit access indicating the direction of travel to the nearest exit and exit discharge when the direction of travel to the exit or exit discharge was not immediately apparent:  a. 141 Southside Avenue, Bridgewater, NJ - Production facility    The employer did not post signs indicating the direction of travel to the exits in the production facility where line of sight to an exit was not maintained at all times and where the direction to the nearest exit was not immediately apparent to employees, sub-contractor employees, and temporary employees working in the building. The line of sight to the exit doors was obstructed by production machinery.  Violation observed on or about October 6, 2015

Issued

Mar 29, 2016

Abate by

May 31, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,800 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.101(b): The in-plant handling, storage, and utilization of all compressed gases in cylinders, portable tanks, rail tankcars, or motor vehicle cargo tanks were not in accordance with Compressed Gas Association Pamphlet P-1-1965, which is incorporated by reference as specified in CFR 1910.6:    a. 141 Southside Ave., Bridgewater, NJ - Receiving    Compressed gas cylinders were not properly secured to prevent tipping or damage from forklifts operating in the receiving area.  Employees stored cylinders that included, but were not limited to, compressed oxygen and compressed chlorine gas and did not secure the cylinders with a chain, strap, or other securing device.     Violation observed on or about October 6, 2015

Issued

Mar 29, 2016

Abate by

Aug 8, 2016

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $4,900 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. 141 Southside Avenue, Bridgewater, NJ - Production, GEL PRO, MAT PRO and other areas.    The employer did not establish an energy control program that included energy control procedures, employee training, and complete periodic inspections.  Employees engaged in the manufacture of collagen casings performed maintenance and repairs of food processing equipment, hide grinding equipment, and mixing equipment without being provided a written energy control plan, employee training for specific equipment, and the employer completing periodic inspections.    Violation observed on or about October 6, 2015

Issued

Mar 29, 2016

Abate by

Aug 8, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i): Procedures were not developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees were engaged in activities covered by this section:    a. 141 Southside Ave., Bridgewater, NJ -    The company did not develop and document a hazardous energy control program for specific equipment where employees engaged in the maintenance and repair of production and processing equipment throughout the facility.  Employees performed repairs on the production line machinery and mixing equipment on the GELS & Solutions deck, and in Materials Production without a written energy control plan for each type of equipment requiring an energy control procedure.     Violation occurred on or about October 6, 2015

Issued

Mar 29, 2016

Abate by

Aug 8, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(i): The employer did not provide adequate training to ensure that employees acquired the knowledge and skills required for the safe application, usage and removal of energy control devices:    a. 141 Southside Ave., Bridgewater, NJ    Training that included the safe application, usage, and removal of energy control devices was not provided to authorized employees that engaged in maintenance and repair of mechanical equipment or to affected employees working in the vicinity of where equipment was required to be included in a LO/TO program.  Maintenance employees engaged in the repair and/or maintenance equipment, that included, but was not limited to, Gels & Solutions mixing equipment, Materials Processing (MAT/PRO) grinding equipment, and Production Line processing equipment were not provided effective training in the control of inadvertent activation or release of energy.     Violation occurred on or about October 6, 2015

Issued

Mar 29, 2016

Abate by

Apr 15, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,800 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)(ii): The employer did not ensure that each operator had successfully completed training to operate a powered industrial truck as demonstrated by the successful completion of the training and evaluation specified in this paragraph (l):     a. 141 Southside Ave., Bridgewater, NJ - Gels & Solutions    The employer did not ensure each authorized employee successfully completed PIT training.  Gels & Solutions employees operating powered industrial equipment on a daily basis were not provided operator training and evaluation prior to being authorized to operate such equipment.    Violation occurred on or about October 6, 2015

Issued

Mar 29, 2016

Abate by

Apr 15, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:  a. 141 Southside Avenue, Bridgewater, NJ  Employees engaged in the production of collagen casings in the production area  that used a forklift on a daily basis, were not provided forklift refresher training at least once every three years.  Employees operated equipment that included, but was not limited to Yale, Model ERPO30TDN36SE083, electric forklifts on a daily basis.  Violation occurred on or about October 6, 2015

Issued

Mar 29, 2016

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $4,900 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(p)(1): Powered industrial truck(s) found to be in need of repair, defective, or in any way unsafe had not been  taken out of service until restored to safe operating condition:    a. 141 Southside Ave., Bridgewater, NJ - Gels & Solutions    A forklift found in need of repair was not taken out of service.  Employees used a Yale, Model NRO35ACNM24TV101, electric forklift to move materials on a daily basis that was missing the seatbelt.      Violation observed on or about October 6, 2015

Issued

Mar 29, 2016

Abate by

Apr 15, 2016

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $3,500 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. 141 Southside Ave., Bridgewater, NJ - Production Area Wet End    Employees engaged in the manufacture and repair of machine parts were not protected from hazards of rotating parts by use of guarding.  Maintenance employees used a Buffalo Forge, Co. drill press that did not have a chuck guard to prevent accidental contact.     Violation observed on or about October 6, 2015

Issued

Mar 29, 2016

Abate by

Apr 8, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,800 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.215(b)(9): The distance between the abrasive wheel periphery(s) and the adjustable tongue or the end of the safety guard peripheral member at the top exceeded one fourth inch    a. 141 Southside Avenue, Bridgewater, NJ - Machine Shop    Employees used a Black & Decker, 8" Heavy Duty Bench Grinder that did not have the tongue guard adjusted to 1/4 inch or less on the abrasive wheel side of the grinder.    Violation observed on or about October 6, 2015

Issued

Mar 29, 2016

Abate by

Nov 15, 2016

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $4,900 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(c)(3): Vertical or inclined shafting seven -7 feet or less from floor or working platform was not enclosed with stationary casings:     q. 141 Southside Ave., Bridgewater, NJ - Gels & Solutions    Employees engaged in the manufacture of collagen casing products were not protected from the hazards of rotating parts by use of guarding.  Employees on the Gels & Solutions deck used vertical mixing machines where the rotating shaft was not guarded by stationary casings.    Violation observed on or about October 6, 2015

Issued

Mar 29, 2016

Abate by

Apr 15, 2016

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $4,900 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.253(b)(4)(i): Oxygen cylinders were stored near highly combustible material, especially oil and grease; or near reserve stocks of carbide and acetylene or other fuel-gas cylinders, or near other substance likely to cause or accelerate fire:     a. 141 Southside Avenue, Bridgewater, NJ    The employer stored oxygen and acetylene in the same location without providing separation of at least 25 feet or with a barrier wall with a fire rating of greater than two hours.     Violation observed on or about October 6, 2015

Issued

Mar 29, 2016

Abate by

Apr 15, 2016

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $3,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(g)(2)(i): Live parts of electric equipment operating at 50 volts or more were not guarded against accidental contact by approved cabinets of other forms of approved enclosures, or other means listed under this provision:    a. 141 Southside Avenue, Bridgewater, NJ - Boiler Room    A boiler control box with live electrical parts, operating at more than 50 volts, was not guarded against accidental contact by employees with a cabinet door that locked.  Boiler operators used tape to secure the control box on boiler NJID 4201, allowing the hinged door to swing open.     Violation observed on or about October 6, 2015