OSHA Inspection: APEX MATERIAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC

Issued

May 17, 2016

Penalty

Initial $1,200 · Current $600 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(3): To facilitate cleaning, every floor, working place, and passageway shall be kept free from protruding nails, splinters, holes, or loose boards.   a. On or about April 5, 2016, in the scrub tank area, employees were required to use an aisle where a section of floor grating was missing.  Employees were thereby exposed to trip and fall hazards.

Issued

May 17, 2016

Abate by

Jul 5, 2016

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $800 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(a)(3): Every hatchway and chute floor opening shall be guarded by one of the following:   a. On or about April 5, 2016, in the plant, employees were required to take samples from the top of the copper nitrate slurry tank that had an 18 inch square opening.  The opening did not have adequate guarding.  Employees were thereby exposed to the hazards associated with chemical contact and falls.

Issued

May 17, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(c)(1): Every open-sided floor or platform 4 feet or more above adjacent floor or ground level shall be guarded by a standard railing (or the equivalent as specified in paragraph (e)(3) of this section) on all open sides except where there is entrance to a ramp, stairway, or fixed ladder. The railing shall be provided with a toeboard wherever, beneath the open sides,   a. On or about April 5, 2016, on dump zone 1 and the holding area for caustic, employees were required to work on a platform over 7 feet high. The platform did not have a guardrails on all open sides, exposing the employees to fall hazards.

Issued

May 17, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(a): Application. Protective equipment, including personal protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices, and protective shields and barriers, shall be provided, used, and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever it is necessary by reason of hazards of processes or environment, chemical hazards, radiological hazards, or mechanical irritants encountered in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation or physical contact.     a. On or about April 5, 2016,   on top of the scrub tank, employees required to access and work on top of the tank were exposed to falls of over seven (7) feet above the ground level.  The employer did not ensure that employees were provided with and used protective equipment, such as a body harness and lanyard, to protect them against injury in the event of a fall.

Issued

May 17, 2016

Abate by

Jul 5, 2016

Penalty

Initial $1,200 · Current $600 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1): In any workplace where respirators are necessary to protect the health of the employee or whenever respirators are required by the employer, the employer shall establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures. The program shall be updated as necessary to reflect those changes in workplace conditions that affect respirator use. The employer shall include in the program the following provisions of this section, as applicable:    On or about April , 2016, in the plant, the employer did not establish and implement an adequate respiratory program for employees that were required to wear respirators.  The employer did not ensure employee's medical evaluations, fit testing and training.

Issued

May 17, 2016

Abate by

Jul 5, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4): If the employer decides that its employees will enter permit spaces, the employer shall develop and implement a written permit space program that complies with this section. The written program shall be available for inspection by employees and their authorized representatives.  a. On or about April 5, 2016, in the plant, the employer did not develop and implement a written confined space program for employees of  the Apex Material Technology company required to enter mixing and storage tanks.

Issued

May 17, 2016

Abate by

Jul 5, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(e)(1): Before entry is authorized, the employer shall document the completion of measures required by paragraph (d)(3) of this section by preparing an entry permit.  NOTE: Appendix D to section 1910.146 presents examples of permits whose elements are considered to comply with the requirements of this section.   a. On or about April 5, 2016, in the plant, the employer did not complete confined space permits before employees made entry into mixing tanks and holding tanks to do cleaning and repair work..

Issued

May 17, 2016

Abate by

Jul 5, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(g)(1): The employer shall provide training so that all employees whose work is regulated by this section acquire the understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary for the safe performance of the duties assigned under this section.   a. On or about April 5, 2016, in the plant, the employer did not provide training to employees on the company specific confined space entry program including completing an entry permit before entering mixing and holding tanks to do cleaning and repair work.

Issued

May 17, 2016

Abate by

Jul 5, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(ii)(B): Specific procedural steps for shutting down, isolating, blocking and securing machines or equipment to control hazardous energy;    a. On or about April 5, 2016, in the plant, the employer did not develop specific  procedures for employees to use when isolating equipment such as, changing motors and repairing the motor control center by final treatment.  Employees were thereby exposed to the hazards associated with unexpected energization of equipment.

Issued

May 17, 2016

Abate by

Jul 5, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(5)(i): Locks, tags, chains, wedges, key blocks, adapter pins, self-locking fasteners, or other hardware shall be provided by the employer for isolating, securing or blocking of machines or equipment from energy sources.  a. On or about April 5, 2016, in the plant,  the employer did not provided extra lockout locks for authorized employees that were required to isolate equipment that had more than two isolation points.

Issued

May 17, 2016

Abate by

Aug 5, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(6)(i): The employer shall conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure at least annually to ensure that the procedure and the requirements of this standard are being followed.     a. a.  On or about April 5, 2016, in the plant,  the employer had not performed annual periodic inspections to ensure that documented lockout/tagout procedures were being followed by authorized employees.

Issued

May 17, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.151(c): Where the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body shall be provided within the work area for immediate emergency use. [63 FR 33450, June 18, 1998]  a. On or about April  5, 2016, the work area, employees required to work with caustic  and acid solutions  were not provided with suitable facilities for flushing of the eyes and drenching of bodies.

Issued

May 17, 2016

Abate by

Jul 5, 2016

Penalty

Initial $1,200 · Current $600 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(4)(iii): An evaluation of each powered industrial truck operator's performance shall be conducted at least once every three years.    a. On or about April 5, 2016, in the plant, employees were required to operate forklifts on a daily basis. The forklift drivers were not retrained after three years as required by the standard.

Issued

May 17, 2016

Abate by

Jul 5, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): Employers shall develop, implement, and maintain at each workplace, a written hazard communication program which at least describes how the criteria specified in paragraphs (f), (g), and (h) of this section for labels and other forms of warning, material safety data sheets, and employee information and training will be met, and which also includes the following:  a. On or about April 5, 2016, in the facility,  Apex Material Technology did not develop or maintain an adequate  hazard communication program that included information and training on anhydrous ammonia.