OSHA Inspection: COLUMBIA RECYCLING CORP.

Issued

Sep 29, 2016

Penalty

Initial $9,799 · Current $4,700 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 a struck-by hazard from a compressed nitrogen gas cylinder that was not secured to prevent it from falling or rolling:    a) In the laboratory of Plant 2, employees were exposed to a struck-by hazard from a compressed nitrogen gas cylinder that was not secured to prevent it from falling or rolling. The loose cylinder was placed between the laboratory doorway and two secured nitrogen gas cylinders which did not provide adequate protection or stability for the compressed gas cylinder.  An employee's desk was situated beside the compressed gas cylinders.  Employees access the bulletin board behind the cylinders to track the Nitrogen gas tanks and place documents on the board.  Employees also access the tanks to connect them to the Differential Scanning Machine.

Issued

Sep 29, 2016

Penalty

Initial $12,471 · Current $6,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)(ii): The employer did not ensure that each operator had successfully completed the training required by paragraph (l), except as permitted by paragraph (l)(5), prior to permitting an employee to operate a powered industrial truck safely, as demonstrated by the successful completion of the training and evaluation specified in this paragraph (l).    a) The employer had not ensured that each employee operating the following forklifts was competent to operate the powered industrial trucks: TCM #35, Toyota 69591, TCM #34 Pro-D-25, Toyota #69464(Model No 8FGU25 SN 99590).

Issued

Sep 29, 2016

Abate by

Oct 19, 2016

Penalty

Initial $48,994 · Current $32,400 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 29 CFR 1910.9(c) through (o) whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale, or equivalently a dose of fifty percent:    Plant 2: The employer failed to administer a hearing conservation program for employees exposed to noise above the Action Limit during extrusion activities.    a) Employees working in the vicinity of Line 1 were exposed to continuous noise at 51.06% of the permissible daily exposure of 82.075 dBA (12-hour time-weighted average) or an equivalent sound level of approximately 85.1 dBA during the 360 minute sampling period on April 19, 2016.    b) Employees working in the vicinity of Line 1 were exposed to continuous noise at 81.54% of the permissible daily exposure of 82.075  (12-hour time-weighted average) or an equivalent sound level of approximately 88.5 dBA during the 610 minute sampling period on April 19, 2016.    c) Employees working in the vicinity of Line 2 were exposed to continuous noise at 68.27% of the permissible daily exposure of 82.7 dBA (12-hour time-weighted average) or an equivalent sound level of approximately 87.2 dBA during the 620 minute sampling period on April 19, 2016.    Columbia Recycling was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.95(c)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 687959, citation number 1, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on April 10, 2013, with respect to a workplace located at 1001 Chattanooga Ave., Dalton, Georgia 30719.

Issued

Sep 29, 2016

Abate by

Oct 19, 2016

Penalty

Initial $48,994 · Current $29,400 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(a)(6):  The employer did not ensure that all nameplates and markings were in place and are maintained in a legible condition:    a) In Plant 2, the employer did not ensure the data plate was legible for employees to understand the load capacity of the TCM forklift #34 (Model Pro-D25; No Serial Number), exposing employees to crush-by hazards.    b) In Plant 2, the employer did not ensure the data plate was legible for employees to understand the load capacity of the TCM forklift #35 (Model Pro-D25; No Serial Number), exposing employees to crush-by hazards.    Columbia Recycling was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.178(a)(6), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 687959, citation number 1, item number 7 and was affirmed as a final order on April 10, 2013, with respect to a workplace located at 1001 Chattanooga Ave., Dalton, Georgia 30719.