OSHA Inspection: WOOD FIBERS INC.

Issued

Mar 23, 2016

Abate by

Apr 20, 2016

Penalty

Initial $5,390 · Current $5,390

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(5)(ii)(D): Lockout devices and tagout devices did not indicate the identity of the employee applying the device(s):  On or about October 6, 2015, an employee utilized a lockout tagout device that did not indicate the identity of the employee who applied the device.

Issued

Mar 23, 2016

Abate by

Apr 20, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(i): The employer did not provide training to ensure that the purpose and function of the energy control program are understood by employees and that the knowledge and skills required for the safe application, usage, and removal of the energy controls are acquired by employees:  The employer did not train employees engaging in servicing and/or maintenance work to use lockout tagout when working on equipment covered under the standard such as, but not limited to, the Premier Tech form fill and seal bagger, robotic palletizer, dust collection equipment, CPM pellet mill No. 1 and No. 2, sawdust dryer and conveyor system, and RUF Briquetting System Model 2371 Type RUF1100+.

Issued

Mar 23, 2016

Abate by

Apr 20, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(d): The established procedure for the application of energy control (the lockout or tagout procedures) did not cover the actions listed in and was not done in sequence as required by 29 CFR 1910.147(d)(1)-(6):  Employees who performed servicing and maintenance on and around the Premier Tech form fill and seal bagger were not required to:  (1)  know the type and magnitude of the energy, the hazards of the energy to be controlled, and the method or means to control the energy, (2)  turn off and shut down the machines, (3)  physically locate and operate energy isolating devices in such a manner as to isolate the machine or equipment from the energy source, (4)  affix lockout or tagout devices to each energy isolating device, (5)  prior to starting work on machines that have been locked out or tagged out, verify that isolation and deenergization of the machine or equipment have been accomplished.    Employees required to thread plastic bags into the Premier Tech form fill and seal bagger were exposed to ingoing nip points, rotating parts, pinch points, and thermal hazards created by the machines unexpected start-up and energizing.

Issued

Mar 23, 2016

Abate by

Apr 27, 2016

Penalty

Initial $5,390 · Current $5,390

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:  On or about November 18, 2015, employees were exposed to unguarded pinch points, thermal hazards, rotating shafts and pulleys, and in going nip points on a Premier Tech form fill and seal bagging machine located in the main production floor.

Issued

Mar 23, 2016

Penalty

Initial $3,850 · Current $3,850

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(1)(i): Conductors entering cutout boxes, cabinets, or fittings were not protected from abrasions:  (a)  On or about October 6, 2015, conductors entering a Hamer Model 600NW Net Weigh Bagging Scale control panel were not protected from abrasion as the flexible conduit fitting was not closed to the panel.  (b)  On or about October 6, 2015, conductors powering a control panel located at the out feed of the robotic wrapper were not protected from abrasion as the flexible conduit fitting was broken near the floor.  (c)  On or about October 6, 2015, conductors entering a control panel on the product hopper were not protected from abrasions as the flexible conduit at begun separating near the panel.

Issued

Mar 23, 2016

Penalty

Initial $46,200 · Current $46,200

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:  On or about October 6, 2015, sprocket wheels and a chain which were less than seven feet above the ripening bin's platform were not enclosed and exposed employees to amputation and/or caught-in hazards.  Wood Fibers Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.219(f)(3), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 109697, citation number 1, item number 2 and was affirmed as final order on May 24, 2012, with respect to a workplace located at 1050 Washington St. Niagara, WI 54151.

Issued

Mar 23, 2016

Abate by

Apr 20, 2016

Penalty

Initial $10,780 · Current $10,780

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i): Procedures are not developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees are engaged in activities covered by this section:  The employer is not utilizing written energy control procedures when employees are servicing and/or maintaining equipment covered under the standard such as, but not limited to, the Premier Tech form fill and seal bagger, robotic palletizer, dust collection equipment, CPM pellet mill No. 1 and No. 2, sawdust dryer and conveyor system, and RUF Briquetting System Model 2371 Type RUF1100+.  Wood Fibers Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 107748, citation number 1, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on February 7, 2012, with respect to a workplace located at 1050 Washington St. Niagara, WI 54151.

Issued

Mar 23, 2016

Abate by

Apr 20, 2016

Penalty

Initial $19,250 · Current $19,250

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 are not guarded in accordance with the requirements specified in 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o):  (a)  Pulleys for the motor and auger that collected and moved fines from below the shaker table located in the production floor are not guarded to protect employees from the rotating part and ingoing nip points.  (b)  Pulleys for the two sets of motors and augers that transported material from the ripening bin to the pellet mills are not guarded on auger side of the guard to prevent employees from accessing the rotating parts and ingoing nip points.    (c)  Pulleys for each of the three augers that transported pellets form the indoor storage bins to the bagging machine conveyor belt are not guarded to prevent employees from accessing the rotating parts and ingoing nip points under the guards.  (d)  Pulleys for each of the three augers that transported wood dust from the dust collector, furnace fuel bin, and the pellet process cyclonic separator to the furnace feed auger are not guarded to prevent employees from accessing the rotating parts and ingoing nip points under the guards.    Wood Fibers Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.219(d)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 998359, citation number 2, item number 3 and was affirmed as a final order on April 16, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 1050 Washington St. Niagara, WI 54151.

Issued

Mar 23, 2016

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)  The vertical belt for the motor and auger that collected and moved fines from below the shaker table located in the production floor were not guarded to protect employees from the ingoing nip points.  (b)  The vertical belts for the two sets of motors and augers that transported material from the ripening bin to the pellet mills were not guarded on auger side of the guard to prevent employees from accessing the ingoing nip points.    Wood Fibers Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.219(e)(3)(i), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 998359, citation number 2, item number 3 and was affirmed as a final order on April 16, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 1050 Washington St. Niagara, WI 54151.

Issued

Mar 23, 2016

Penalty

Initial $7,700 · Current $7,700

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(1)(ii): Unused openings in boxes, cabinets, or fittings were not effectively closed:  a)  On or about October 6, 2015, unused openings in an equipment control cabinet located on the east side of the facility were not effectively closed due to duct tape being used to cover openings.  b)  On or about October 6, 2015, a missing knockout in the palletizer robot's e-stop control box located adjacent to the pallet opening of the robot enclosure was not closed.  Wood Fibers Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.305(b)(1)(ii), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 998359, citation number 1, item number 5 and was affirmed as a final order on April 27, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 1050 Washington St., Niagara, WI 54151.

Issued

Mar 23, 2016

Penalty

Initial $7,700 · Current $7,700

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(g)(1)(iv)(A): Flexible cords and/or cables ae used as a substitute for the fixed wiring of a structure:  a)  On or about October 6, 2015, a flexible cord used to power the bagging machine's control panel was secured with a bungee cord and large hose clamp used as fixed wiring.  b)  On or about October 6, 2015, a flexible cord used to power the scale was ran under the shaker table.  Wood Fibers Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.305(g)(1)(iv)(A), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 998359, citation number 1, item number 7 and was affirmed as a final order on April 16, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 1050 Washington St. Niagara, WI 54151