OSHA Inspection: COBLENTZ DISTRIBUTING, INC.

Issued

Jun 12, 2017

Abate by

Jun 22, 2017

Penalty

Initial $12,675 · Current $7,605 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(d): Application of control. The established procedures for the application of energy control (the lockout or tagout procedures) shall cover the following elements and actions and shall be done in the following sequence as required by 29 CFR 1910.147(d)(1) through (d)(6):  a. Located in the USDA Packing Room at the workplace: On or about March 10, 2017 and at times prior, employees were performing service and maintenance covered activities at the Rollstock packaging machine. Covered activities included, but were not limited to, unjamming, cleaning, adjusting, changing molds, and routine maintenance.  The employer failed to implement energy control application steps to protect employees from machine servicing hazards, exposing employees to caught-in and amputation hazards.

Issued

Jun 12, 2017

Abate by

Jun 22, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i): Procedures shall be developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees are engaged in the activities covered by this section.  Note: Exception: The employer need not document the required procedure for a particular machine or equipment, when all of the following elements exist: (1) The machine or equipment has no potential for stored or residual energy or reaccumulation of stored energy after shut down which could endanger employees; (2) the machine or equipment has a single energy source which can be readily identified and isolated; (3) the isolation and locking out of that energy source will completely deenergize and deactivate the machine or equipment; (4) the machine or equipment is isolated from that energy source and locked out during servicing or maintenance; (5) a single lockout device will achieve a locker-out condition; (6) the lockout device is under the exclusive control of the authorized employee performing the servicing or maintenance; (7) the servicing or maintenance does not create hazards for other employees; and (8) the employer, in utilizing this exception, has had no accidents involving the unexpected activation or reenergization of the machine or equipment during servicing or maintenance.  a. Located in the USDA Packing Room at the workplace: The energy control procedures for the Rollstock machine was not implemented and utilized when authorized employees performed servicing and maintenance covered activities on the machine.

Issued

Jun 12, 2017

Abate by

Jun 22, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(ii): The procedures shall 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. Located in the USDA Packing Room at the workplace: The energy control procedure developed for the Rollstock machine failed to include specific procedural steps for shutting down and isolating the hazardous energy sources, specific steps for the placement of lockout devices, and specific steps to test the machine to determine and verify the effectiveness of the energy control measures.

Issued

Jun 12, 2017

Abate by

Jun 22, 2017

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $5,432 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A): Each authorized employee shall receive training in the recognition of applicable hazardous energy sources, the type and magnitude of the energy available in the workplace, and the methods and means necessary for energy isolation and control.  a. Located in the USDA Packing Room at the workplace: On or about March 10, 2017 and at times prior, employees were performing service and maintenance covered activities at the Rollstock packaging machine. Covered activities included, but were not limited to, unjamming, cleaning, adjusting, changing molds, and routine maintenance.  The employer failed to provide authorized lockout training for employees performing the covered activities.

Issued

Jun 12, 2017

Abate by

Jul 31, 2017

Penalty

Initial $5,432 · Current $3,259 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1): Types of guarding. One or more methods of machine guarding shall be 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. Examples of guarding methods are-barrier guards, two-hand tripping devices, electronic safety devices, etc.    a. Located in the USDA Packing Room at the workplace: On or about March 10, 2017, employees were placing beef products into formed pockets on the Rollstock packaging machine adjacent to an unguarded guide roller at the beginning of the machine where the plastic was fed into the machine. The unguarded roller exposed employees to a caught in hazard.

Issued

Jun 12, 2017

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $5,432 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(2): General requirements for machine guards. Guards shall be affixed to the machine where possible and secured elsewhere if for any reason attachment to the machine is not possible. The guard shall be such that it does not offer an accident hazard in itself.  a. Located in the USDA Packing Room at the workplace: On or about March 10, 2017, employees were operating a Rollstock packaging machine. The plastic guard on the upper side of the machine guarding the guillotine cutter area was not secured to the machine.