OSHA Inspection: PRECIOUS CAT, INC.

Issued

2016-06-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-06-23 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2000.00 · Current $1200.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): 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 struck-by hazards:    (a)  On or about January 22, 2016, and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., exposed its employees to ruptures of a wire rope attached to a winch used to move train cars.  The pulley was not a properly sized sheave for the gauge of the wire rope, which can lead to abrasion, crushing and other rope damage.  The rope showed signs of birdcaging, and had many broken strands in a lay near the hook end.  The rope did not wrap smoothly on the winch drum which is caused by the winch not being installed properly with respect to the pulley.   Lower wraps of the rope on the drum were crushed.  Inspections were not conducted.  Operators were not properly trained.      Abatement Note:  Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

2016-06-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-06-23 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $1600.00 · Current $960.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): 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 struck-by hazards:    (a)  On or about January 25, 2016, and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., did not ensure its employees were protected from the hazards of a compressed gas cylinder tipping over and becoming a projectile in the maintenance shop.  The cylinder was not secured, and it was in a cluttered location where it was vulnerable to being knocked over.  It was a cylinder of helium, argon and carbon dioxide.     Abatement Note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

2016-06-09 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

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)  On or about January 25, 2016, and at times prior, employees of Precious Cat, Inc., were exposed to trip and fall hazards in the maintenance shop which was not kept in an orderly condition.

Issued

2016-06-09 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.36(g)(4): Objects that projected into the exit route reduced the width of the exit route to less than the minimum width requirements for exit routes:  (a)  On or about January 25, 2016 and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., exposed its employees to fire and smoke inhalation hazards in the maintenance room where the routes to the exit door were cluttered with stored items preventing clear access to the exit.

Issued

2016-06-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-07-20 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(b)(2): Each exit was not clearly visible and marked by a sign reading "Exit":    (a)  On or about January 25, 2016, and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., exposed its employees to fire and smoke inhalation hazards in the maintenance room where the exit door was not marked.      Abatement Note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

2016-06-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-07-13 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $1200.00 · Current $720.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(b)(1): Aisles and passageways were not kept clear and in good repair, with no obstruction across or in aisles that could create a hazard:    (a)  On or about January 25, 2016, and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., as exposing and controlling employer, did not ensure its employees and employees from Staffing With Bliss, staffing agency, were protected from slip and fall hazards from ice that built up on walkway between the winch operator station and the winch used to move rail cars.  Workers are required to walk in this area to inspect and service the winch, and to attach the hook and wire rope to the rail cars.     Abatement Note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

2016-06-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-06-23 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2000.00 · Current $1200.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(c)(1): Open-sided floors and/or platforms four feet or more above adjacent floor or ground level were not guarded with standard railings (or equivalent) and toeboards:    (a)  On or about January 25, 2016, and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., as exposing and controlling employer, did not ensure its employees and employees from Staffing With Bliss, staffing agency, were protected from falls of greater than four feet from the platform used to change the dust collector filters.      (b)  On or about January 25, 2016, and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., as exposing and controlling employer, did not protect its employees and employees from Staffing With Bliss, staffing agency, from falls of approximately 13 feet from the platform above the additive mixer at the inlet for the bags being hoisted by the crane and from the personnel entry point above the fixed ladder.       Abatement Note: Abatement certification is required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

2016-06-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-08-15 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(a): Protective equipment was not used when necessary whenever hazards capable of causing injury and impairment were encountered:    (a)  On or about January 25, 2016, and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., as exposing and controlling employer, did not ensure its employees and employees from Staffing With Bliss, staffing agency, were protected from fall hazards from the top of train cars when they measure the amount of product in the cars.  The employer did not ensure that workers utilized adequate personal protective equipment that would prevent them from falling, and which can be installed inside the garage where the dump pit is located.    Abatement Note: Abatement certification is required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

2016-06-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-06-23 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $1600.00 · Current $960.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.36(d)(1): Employee(s) were not able to open an exit route door from the inside at all times without keys, tools, or special knowledge:    (a)  On or about January 25, 2016 and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., as exposing and controlling employer, exposed its employees and employees of Staffing With Bliss, staffing agency, to fire and smoke inhalation hazards when the exit door on the south wall of the production area was locked from the outside any time rail cars were moving in the garage on the other side of the door.       Abatement Note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

2016-06-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-06-23 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(a)(3):  Stairs or a ramp was not provided where the exit route was not substantially level:  (a)  On or about January 25, 2016 and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., as exposing and controlling employer, exposed its employees and employees of Staffing With Bliss, staffing agency, to fire, smoke inhalation, and fall hazards at exit door on the south wall of the production area that opened to a drop-off of approximately four feet and did not have stairs or a ramp.  Abatement Note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

2016-06-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-07-27 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2800.00 · Current $1680.00 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)  On or about February 24, 2016, and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., as exposing and controlling employer, did not ensure that its employees and employees of Staffing With Bliss, staffing agency, were protected from hazardous energy, in that it does not have a documented hazardous energy control program with machine specific procedures, employee training, and regular inspection of employees and each procedure, to control the hazardous energy before servicing or maintaining machinery. A worker was seriously injured when he reached inside Bag Line One to unjam it without first deenergizing and isolating it.  Workers regularly reach in and climb in machinery to perform servicing or maintenance tasks and only push a "Stop" button.  They do not isolate the various hazardous energies.      Abatement Note:  Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

2016-06-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-07-13 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2000.00 · Current $1200.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.176(f): Derail and/or bumper blocks were not provided on spur railroad tracks where a rolling car could contact other cars being worked or enter a building, work or traffic area:    (a)  On or about January 25, 2016, and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., as exposing and controlling employer, did not ensure its employees and employees from Staffing With Bliss, staffing agency, were protected from struck-by and crushing hazards by rolling stock in that the rail car moving system on site did not have a way to break moving cars and prevent them from rolling.       Abatement Note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

2016-06-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-06-23 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2800.00 · Current $1680.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(2):  Guard(s) on machine(s) were not affixed to the machine or secured elsewhere when attachment to the machine was not possible:    (a)  On or about January 22, 2016, and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., as exposing and controlling employer, did not ensure that its employees and employees of Staffing With Bliss, staffing agency, were protected from caught-in and amputation hazards from the head pulley on the return-side of the belt of the Universal UniTube conveyor, which moves kitty litter from the external storage silo into the processing area, and was unguarded in a location where employees work.  A portion of a worker's left hand was amputated.      (b)  On or about February 24, 2016, and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., as exposing and controlling employer, did not ensure that its employees and employees of Staffing With Bliss, staffing agency, were protected from caught-in hazards while working with the Hamer 2080 Automatic Form, Fill & Seal Packaging machines which were unguarded along the front and back, and had guards over the slicer-sealer on top of the machines that were not attached, and easily removed.  When a pamphlet was stuck near the slicer-sealer timing belt on the Bag Line One machine, a worker reached in to remove it while the belt was moving.  He contacted the belt and was pulled into a pulley, and received a sever laceration on his hand.      (c)  On or about January 22, 2016, and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., as exposing and controlling employer, did not ensure that its employees and employees of Staffing With Bliss, staffing agency, were protected from caught-in and amputation hazards from the ingoing nip point of the wire rope as it rolls on the drum of the winch used to move train cars, which was unguarded.      Abatement Note: Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

2016-06-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-06-23 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

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:  (a)  On or about January 25, 2016, and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., as exposing and controlling employer, did not protect its employees and employees from Staffing With Bliss, staffing agency, from the drive chain from the Baldor motor on the wench used to move train cars.    Abatement Note:  Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

2016-06-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-06-23 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(h)(1): Projecting key(s), setscrew(s), or other projections in revolving part(s) were not removed, made flush, or guarded by metal cover(s):  (a)  On or about January 25, 2016, and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., as exposing and controlling employer, did not protect its employees and employees from Staffing With Bliss, staffing agency, from caught-in hazards from the raised set screws on rotating drive shafts at the end of the Hamer 2080 machines where full cat litter bags are transferred to the palatizing robot conveyor.  Workers often wear baggy clothing and hoodies with dangling draw strings while inspecting and removing full cat litter bags in this location.   Abatement Note:  Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

2016-06-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-07-27 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR �1904.29(a): A Log of all Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (OSHA Form 300), and/or the Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, (OSHA Form 300-A), and/or the Injury and Illness Incident Report (OSHA Form 301) or equivalent forms were not kept by the establishment:  (a)  On or about January 25, 2016, and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., as exposing and controlling employer, did not record injuries and illnesses of its employees and employees from Staffing With Bliss, staffing agency, when Precious Cat, Inc., directed their day-to-day activities.    Abatement Note:  Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

2016-06-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-06-23 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

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):  (a)  On or about January 25, 2016, and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., as controlling employer, did not ensure an employee from Staffing With Bliss, staffing agency, was qualified and competent to operate a fork lift in that the employee was not certified as having been trained and evaluated before being assigned the task of operating fork lifts.    Abatement Note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

2016-06-09 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(g)(1)(ii): The required working space about electric equipment rated 600 volts, nominal, or less to ground, was used for storage:  (a) On or about January 25, 2016, and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., as exposing and controlling employer, did not ensure its employees and employees from Staffing With Bliss, staffing agency, were protected from electrical and fire hazards in that the electrical panels in the following locations were blocked from access by stored items:  1)  The breaker box for the Universal conveyors and the dust collector on the south wall in the production area.  2)  The breaker box marked LA on the south wall of the production area. 3)  The Klipenstein box gluer machine knife switch on the west wall of the box room. 4)  The breaker box marked HA on the north wall of the production area.  5)  The breaker box marked LF on the north wall of the production area.

Issued

2016-06-09 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.334(a)(2)(ii): There was a defect or evidence of damage that could have exposes an employee to injury and the defective or damaged item was not removed from service:  (a) On or about January 25, 2016, and at times prior, Precious Cat, Inc., as exposing and controlling employer, did not ensure its employees and employees from Staffing With Bliss, staffing agency, were protected from electrical and fire hazards in that the insulation of an extension cord connected on the west wall of the box room was cut and broken.