OSHA Inspection: NORTHEAST GEORGIA TIRE RECYCLING, INC.

Issued

Apr 4, 2016

Penalty

Initial $1,020 · Current $612 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(a)(8): Every floor hole into which persons can accidentally walk was not guarded.  a.  On or about October 27, 2016 production line one/pass line employees were exposed to sprain and strain injury hazards from a floor hole in the pass line dock measuring 21 inches by 3 inches located adjacent to the dock stairs.  b.  On or about October 27, 2016 production line one/pass line employees were exposed to sprain and strain injury hazards from a floor hole in the pass line dock measuring 20.75 inches by 2.5 inches located adjacent to the dock stairs.  c.  On or about October 27, 2016 production line one/pass line employees were exposed to sprain and strain injury hazards from a floor hole in the pass line dock measuring 68.75 inches by 3.5 inches and located 14.5 inches from an open sided edge 41.25 inches above the lower level.

Issued

Apr 4, 2016

Abate by

May 19, 2016

Penalty

Initial $1,700 · Current $1,020 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1): The employer did not 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.  a.  On or about March 02, 2016 employees acting in the capacity of line operator/laborer were exposed to noise hazards where the employer did not develop and implement a hearing conservation program.   On March 02, 2016 a line worker was monitored for 423 minutes resulting in an exposure level of 96.1 dBA as an eight-hour, time-weighted average with the remaining 57 minutes calculated as zero exposure.    b. On or about March 02, 2016 employees acting in the capacity of line lead were exposed to noise hazards where the employer did not develop and implement a hearing conservation program.  On March 02, 2016 a line two lead employee was monitored for 421 minutes resulting in an exposure level of 93.0 dBA as an eight hour, time weighted average with the remaining 59 minutes calculated as zero exposure.    c.  On or about March 02, 2016 employees acting in the capacity of floater were exposed to noise hazards where the employer did not develop and implement a hearing conservation program.   On March 02, 2016 a Ffoater was monitored for 413 minutes resulting in an exposure of 88.8 dBA as an eight hour, time weighted average with the remaining 67 minutes calculated as zero exposure

Issued

Apr 4, 2016

Penalty

Initial $1,020 · Current $612 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.106(d)(2)(i): Approved containers and portable tanks were not used.  On or about October 27, 2015 employees were exposed to fire hazards where the employer stored gasoline in unapproved, open, plastic containers on the floor beneath the employee time clock.

Issued

Apr 4, 2016

Abate by

Apr 14, 2016

Penalty

Initial $1,700 · Current $1,020 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4): Where the employer decides that its employees will enter permit spaces, the employer did not develop and implement a written permit space program that complies with this section.  On or about October 27, 2015 employees were exposed to mechanical hazards associated with permit required confined spaces where employees entered shredder hoppers to perform maintenance and the employer had not developed and implemented a permit required confined space program.

Issued

Apr 4, 2016

Abate by

Apr 29, 2016

Penalty

Initial $1,700 · Current $1,020 Reduced

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 are engaged in the activities covered by this section.   On or about October 27, 2015 employees were exposed to hazards from moving parts of machines during servicing and maintenance activities on equipment including, but not limited to, the line one shredder, the line two shredder, and the line two cracker mill where the employer did not document specific procedural steps for the control of hazardous energy during servicing and maintenance activities.

Issued

Apr 4, 2016

Abate by

Apr 29, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,680 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1): One or more methods of machine guarding were 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 October 27, 2015 employees in the production area were exposed to amputation, fracture, and laceration hazards where the employer operated a shredder on production line two, the truck line, and did not guarding for the blades of the shredder.

Issued

Apr 4, 2016

Abate by

Apr 14, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,680 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(f)(3): All sprocket wheels and chains were not enclosed unless they are more than seven (7) feet above the floor or platform.  a.  On or about October 27, 2015 the employer did not provide guarding for the drive chain and sprocket on the line one (pass line) feed conveyor.  b.  On or about October 27, 2015 the employer did not provide guarding for the drive chain and sprockets of the rotary screen/cutting blades of the line two (truck line) shredder beneath the hopper.

Issued

Apr 4, 2016

Abate by

Apr 14, 2016

Penalty

Initial $1,360 · Current $816 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(1):  Employer did not have a safety data sheet in the workplace for each hazardous chemical which they use.  On or about October 27, 2015 the employer provided chemicals including compressed argon, "NCH Corporation" Lubrease aerosol, "Chevron" Ursa Super Plus engine oil and "ZEP" Industrial Purple Cleaner & Degreaser Concentrate for use by the operations manager in charge of maintenance but provided material safety data sheets for these chemicals rather than the current safety data sheets required under the globally harmonized hazard communication system.

Issued

Apr 4, 2016

Abate by

May 19, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): Employers did not provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new chemical hazard the employees have not previously been trained about is introduced into their work area.   On or about October 27, 2015 the employer had not provided the operations manager in charge of maintenance with effective hazard communication training where the employee works with chemicals including, but not limited to, compressed argon, compressed oxygen, compressed acetylene, propane, gasoline, "NCH Corporation" Lubrease aerosol, "Chevron" Ursa Super Plus engine oil and "ZEP" Industrial Purple Cleaner & Degreaser Concentrate.

Issued

Apr 4, 2016

Abate by

Apr 14, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2)(ii): The employer did not establish and implement those elements of a written respiratory protection program necessary to ensure that any employee using a respirator voluntarily is medically able to use that respirator, and that the respirator is cleaned, stored, and maintained so that its use does not present a health hazard to the user.  On or about October 27, 2015 the employer provided "3M" and "Miller" half facepiece, negative pressure, elastomeric respirators for voluntary use in the workplace but did not implement the elements of the written respiratory protection program to ensure that employees were medically able to use a respirator.

Issued

Apr 4, 2016

Abate by

Apr 14, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(6): The basic advisory information on respirators, as presented in Appendix D of this section, was not provided by the employer in any written or oral format, to employees who wear respirators when such use is not required by this section or by the employer.  On or about October 27, 2015 the employer provided "3M" and "Miller" half facepiece, negative pressure, elastomeric respirators for voluntary use in the workplace but did not provide employees with the advisory information in Appendix D of 1910.134.

Issued

Apr 4, 2016

Abate by

Apr 14, 2016

Penalty

Initial $340 · Current $204 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(a)(6): The user did not see that all nameplates and markings are in place and are maintained in a legible condition.  On or about October 27, 2015 the employer provided a "Komatsu" type G/LP forklift, serial number 588454A for employee use in the yard and production area to move tires and load trailers but did not ensure that the required placard was maintained in a legible condition.

Issued

Apr 4, 2016

Abate by

Apr 14, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(6): The employer did not certify that each operator has been trained and evaluated as required by this paragraph (l). The certification shall include the name of the operator, the date of the training, the date of the evaluation, and the identity of the person(s) performing the training or evaluation.  On or about October 27, 2015 the employer provided a "Komatsu" type G/LP forklift, serial number 588454A for use by three employees in the yard and production areas but did not certify the evaluation of each operators prior training.