OSHA Inspection: ALSEY REFRACTORIES CO.

Issued

Nov 28, 2016

Abate by

Dec 28, 2016

Penalty

Initial $3,741 · Current $500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(b)(1): Each exit route was not adequately lighted so that an employee with normal vision can see along the exit route.    On or about October 13, 2016, emergency exit route lighting was not installed in the Plant (Production Area and Mezzanine) to ensure adequate emergency exit lighting during the hours when natural lighting through the opaque ceiling paneling cannot be used to meet minimal lighting requirements.

Issued

Nov 28, 2016

Abate by

Dec 28, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(b)(2): Each exit was not clearly visible and marked by a sign reading "Exit":    On or about October 13, 2016, employees were exposed to smoke inhalation and burn hazards and the East exit from the Automatic Batching Area was not marked by a sign reading "Exit."

Issued

Nov 28, 2016

Abate by

Dec 28, 2016

Penalty

Initial $6,236 · Current $500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2)(i): Respirator users were not provided with the information contained in Appendix D to 29 CFR 1910.134 when the employer determined that any voluntary respirator use was permissible:     On or about June 22, 2016, in the Batching Area, employees wore N-95 respirators when batching materials used to make mortar and the employer did not provide the employees the information contained Appendix D of the Standard to include:    * Read and heed all instructions provided by the manufacturer on use, maintenance, cleaning and care, and warnings regarding the respirators limitations.     * Choose respirators certified for use to protect against the contaminant of concern. NIOSH, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, certifies respirators. A label or statement of certification should appear on the respirator or respirator packaging. It will tell you what the respirator is designed for and how much it will protect you.     * Do not wear your respirator into atmospheres containing contaminants for which your respirator is not designed to protect against. For example, a respirator designed to filter dust particles will not protect you against gases, vapors, or very small solid particles of fumes or smoke.     * Keep track of your respirator so that you do not mistakenly use someone else's respirator.

Issued

Nov 28, 2016

Abate by

Dec 28, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(1)(iii): The employer did not identify and evaluate the respiratory hazard(s) in the workplace; including a reasonable estimate of employee exposures to respiratory hazards and identification of the contaminant's chemical state and physical form:     On or about June 22, 2016, in the Batching Area, employees wore N-95 respirators when batching materials used to make mortar and the employer did not evaluate the respiratory hazards of the dust generated during the transfer of materials.

Issued

Nov 28, 2016

Abate by

Dec 28, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(g)(1)(i)(A): Respirators with tight-fitting facepieces were worn by employees who had facial hair that came between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interfered with valve function:     On or about June 22, 2016, employees were exposed to Particulates Not Otherwise Regulated (PNOR) and wore N-95 respirators and the employer did not prohibit employees with facial hair that interfered with the seal of the respirator from using a tight-fitting respirator.

Issued

Nov 28, 2016

Abate by

May 17, 2017

Penalty

Initial $6,236 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(ii): The energy control procedures did not clearly and specifically outline the scope, purpose, authorization, rules, and techniques to be utilized for the control of hazardous energy, and the means to enforce compliance including, but not limited to, the following:    (A)  A specific statement of the intended use of the procedure;  (B)  Specific procedural steps for shutting down, isolating, blocking and securing machines or equipment to control hazardous energy;  (C)  Specific procedural steps for the placement, removal and transfer of lockout devices or tagout devices and the responsibility for them; and  (D)  Specific requirements for testing a machine or equipment to determine and verify the effectiveness of lockout devices, tagout devices, and other energy control measures.    On or about June 14, 2016, employees at Boyd Mechanical Toggle Press 3 (No. 1030) were exposed to crush-by and burn hazards when they reached into the die opening and "scratched" the plates to remove green brick debris and lubricate the surfaces (top die, bottom die, and die cavity) and the employer did not develop and document specific procedures to control hazardous mechanical, electrical, thermal, and pneumatic energy.

Issued

Nov 28, 2016

Abate by

May 17, 2017

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.    On or about June 14, 2016, employees were exposed to crush-by and caught-between hazards and the employer did not provide adequate training for the press operators required to isolate and lockout the mechanical punch presses when cleaning and lubricating the dies and greasing the mechanical components.

Issued

Nov 28, 2016

Abate by

May 17, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(d)(3): All energy isolating devices that were needed to control the energy to the machine or equipment were not physically located and operated in such a manner as to isolate the machine or equipment from the energy source:    On or about June 14, 2016, employees at Boyd Mechanical Toggle Press 3 (No. 1030) were exposed to crush-by and burn hazards when they reached into the die opening and "scratched" the plates to remove green brick debris, lubricated the surfaces (top tie, bottom die, and die cavity), and greased components, and the employer did not ensure isolation devices for the electricity, pneumatic, thermal, and mechanical energies were used.

Issued

Nov 28, 2016

Abate by

Dec 28, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,988 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(5)(ii)(B): Lockout and tagout devices were not standardized within the facility in at least one of the following criteria - color; shape; or size:    On or about October 13, 2016, employees repairing Press 6 used lockout devices provided by the employer and a padlock attached to the hasp was not standardized in color, shape, or size.

Issued

Nov 28, 2016

Abate by

Dec 28, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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 13, 2016, employees repairing Press 6 used lockout devices (locks and hasp) provided by the employer and each lock did not identify the employee that applied the lock.

Issued

Nov 28, 2016

Abate by

Dec 28, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(6)(i): The employer did not conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure at least annually to ensure that the procedure and the requirement of this standard were being followed.    On or about June 14, 2016, employees greased the presses at the end of the day and used the "Lockout/Tagout Program Control of Hazardous Energy" procedures to control the energy at each press and the employer last inspected the procedure on January 29, 2013.

Issued

Nov 28, 2016

Abate by

May 17, 2017

Penalty

Initial $8,730 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.217(c)(1)(i): The employer did not provide and ensure the usage of point of operation guards or properly applied point of operation devices on every operation performed on mechanical power press(es):    On or about June 14, 2016, employees were exposed to crush-by and caught-between hazards and the employer did not provide effective machine guarding for the Boyd Mechanical Toggle Press 3 (No. 1030).

Issued

Nov 28, 2016

Abate by

May 17, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.217(d)(9)(v): Brushes, swabs, lubricating rolls, or automatic or manual pressure guns were not provided for lubrication of material, punches or dies so the operators and diesetters were not required to reach into the point of operation of other hazardous areas to lubricate material, punches, or dies.    On or about June 14, 2016, an employee at Boyd Mechanical Toggle Press 3 (No. 1030) was exposed to crush-by and burn hazards when they reached into the die opening and "scratched" the plates to remove green brick debris and lubricate the surfaces (top die, bottom die, and die cavity) and the employer did not provide tooling so the operator was not required reach into the die opening.

Issued

Nov 28, 2016

Abate by

May 17, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.217(e)(1)(i)(C): Records were not maintained for each inspection, maintenance and/ or repair task performed which included the date of inspection, maintenance or repair work, signature of the person who performed the inspection, maintenance or repair work and the serial number or other identifier of the power press inspected, maintained or repaired.    On or about June 14, 2016, employees operating Presses 1-7 were exposed to crush-by and caught-between hazards and the employer did not maintain inspection records which included the signature of the inspector and serial number (or other identifier) for the presses.

Issued

Nov 28, 2016

Abate by

Dec 28, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,988 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(b)(1)(ii): Electrical equipment was not free from recognized hazards, based on the mechanical strength and durability, including, for parts designed to enclose and protect other equipment, the adequacy of the protection thus provided:    On or about June 14, 2016, employees at the Boyd Mechanical Toggle Press 3 (No. 1030) were exposed to electrical shock hazards from:    a) a flexible conduit protecting electrical conductors at a control box on the South side of the unit that was damaged with exposed inner wiring.    b) a black flexible cord on the South side of the unit plugged into a duplex receptacle and the outer insulation was cracked with exposed bare wires.

Issued

Nov 28, 2016

Abate by

May 17, 2017

Penalty

Initial $8,730 · Current $4,300 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(a)(2): The employer did not establish and maintain a respiratory protection program which included the requirements outlined in 29 CFR 1910.134(c) when such equipment is necessary to protect the health of such employee.     On or about June 22, 2016, the employer did not establish and maintain a respiratory protection program and employees were exposed to Particulates Not Otherwise Regulated (PNOR) above the 8-hour Time Weighted Average.

Issued

Nov 28, 2016

Abate by

May 17, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2): Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of Particulates Not Otherwise Regulated (PNOR) Total dust listed in Table Z-1 in excess of the 8 hour Time Weighted Average concentration of 15 mg per cubic meter:    a) On June 22, 2016, Employee A was batching bulk materials and packaging wet mortar and was exposed to Particulates Not Otherwise Regulated (PNOR) at an eight-hour time-weighted average level of 20.6 mg/m^3, approximately 1.37 times the limit of 15 mg/m^3. This limit has been established to prevent lung disease. The exposure is derived from one sample collected over a 423-minute period. Zero exposure is assumed for the remaining 57-minutes.    b) On June 22, 2016, Employee B was batching bulk materials and mixing wet mortar and was exposed to Particulates Not Otherwise Regulated (PNOR) at an eight-hour time-weighted average level 16.7 mg/m^3, approximately 1.11 times the limit of 15 mg/m^3. This limit has been established to prevent lung disease. The exposure is derived from one sample collected over a 459-minute period. Zero exposure is assumed for the remaining 21-minutes.

Issued

Nov 28, 2016

Abate by

May 17, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(e): Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not determined and implemented to achieve compliance with the limits prescribed in 29 CFR 1910.1000(a) through (d):    On or about June 22, 2016, employees were batching dry bulk materials and were exposed to Particulates Not Otherwise Regulated (PNOR) in excess of the permissible exposure limit and the feasible administrative and/or engineering controls were not implemented.    General methods of control applicable in these circumstances include, but are not limited to, the following:    a) Limit worker access to the areas where exposure may exceed the PEL;    b) Increase the ventilation in the Blending Area;    c) Enclose and ventilate the horizontal conveyor nearest the mortar mixer next to the Blending Area;    d) Test and balance the ventilation system to ensure optimal performance for each task;    e) Include a maintenance and inspection program for the ventilation system to ensure the ductwork is properly sealed and secured to the equipment it is designed to exhaust and that the filtration media is performing within the manufactured tolerances; and    f) Eliminate broom sweeping as a means of housekeeping and use a HEPA vacuum or wet methods to capture settled particles.

Issued

Nov 28, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,988 · Current $500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): Employer had not developed or implemented a written hazard communication program which at included the requirements outlined in 29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1)(i) and (e)(1)(ii):     Employees worked with clays, silicates, lubricants, and phosphoric acid solution and the employer did not develop, implement, and maintain a written hazard communication program with at least a description of how the criteria for the following requirements would be met by the company:    a) use of labels and other forms of warning,  b) provision of hazardous chemical information and training for employees,  c) maintenance of an updated list of hazardous chemicals present at the facility,   d) methods the employer will use to inform employees of the hazards of non-routine tasks and hazards associated with chemicals contained in unlabeled pipes in their work areas.  e) methods the employer will use to inform other employers on-site on their  precautionary measures to protect employees during normal operating conditions and in foreseeable emergencies, the labeling system used in the workplace, and to provide other employers on-site access to safety data sheets.