OSHA Inspection: INTERNATIONAL MULCH COMPANY, INC

Issued

Sep 21, 2017

Penalty

Initial $12,549 · Current $8,784 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.252(a)(2)(iii)(B): The employer did not ensure that assigned fire watchers had fire extinguisher equipment readily available and were trained in its use:    Employees were assigned as fire watchers during welding activities on the exhaust fan for the dryer. Fire watchers were not trained in the use of fire extinguishers and had to use the fire extinguisher when some tire fiber inside the exhaust fan began to smolder.

Issued

Sep 21, 2017

Penalty

Initial $12,549 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.252(a)(2)(vi)(C): Cutting or welding was permitted in the presence of explosive atmospheres (mixture of flammable gases, vapors, liquids, or dusts with air), or explosive atmospheres that could develop inside uncleaned or improperly prepared tanks or equipment which had previously contained such materials, or that could develop in areas with an accumulation of:    Welding was permitted on the exhaust fan to the dryer. The exhaust fan was not cleaned properly and previously contained tire fiber, which was combustible. The sparks from the welding ignited some tire fiber causing a small fire, which the welder and fire watches had to use a fire extinguisher and water to extinguish.

Issued

Sep 21, 2017

Abate by

Oct 18, 2017

Penalty

Initial $17,927 · Current $12,549 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1): All places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms and walking-working surfaces were not kept clean, orderly and in sanitary condition:    In the dryer area, all surfaces were not kept clean when approximately one-inch of combustible cotton fiber (i.e., tire fiber) was allowed to accumulate on the outside of the dryer and electrical conduit in the area.    International Mulch Company was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health Standard 29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1129054, citation number 2, item number 1, and was affirmed as a final order on August 22, 2016, with respect to a workplace located at 315 Tolle Avenue, Godfrey, IL 62035.     International Mulch Company was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health Standard 29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 911685, citation number 1, item number 1a, and was affirmed as a final order on April 28, 2014, with respect to a workplace located at 315 Tolle Avenue, Godfrey, IL 62035.