OSHA Inspection: ELG UTICA ALLOYS (HARTFORD), INC.

Issued

Jan 26, 2018

Abate by

Mar 15, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,147 · Current $5,488 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 were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to hazards created by the moving parts of conveying equipment:   Solids, Fragmentizer in-feed conveyor:  On, or about, September 22, 2017, employees normally worked in close proximity to the in-running nip point created by the head pulley and the conveyor belt.  A pre-start up alarm/indicator and a delay had not been installed on the conveyor.  The conveyor was turned on and off by the demands of the crusher unit using a current reading device that monitored the electrical load for the crusher motor.

Issued

Jan 26, 2018

Abate by

Mar 15, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1): Machine guarding was not provided to protect operator(s) and other employees from hazard(s) created by pinch points, shear points, rotating parts and in-running nip points:    In the following locations, adequate machine safeguarding was not provided on conveyors:    A.  Nickel Area, Nickel crusher in-feed conveyor:  On, or about, September 26, 2017, a section of the guarding on the underside of the inclined conveyor had been removed in order to allow chips that fell back down the conveyor to be discharged into a dump hopper positioned under the opening.         B.  Nickel Area, Nickel Crusher, Jorgensen fines conveyor:  On, or about, September 26, 2017, the cross braces on the Jorgensen fines conveyor created a pinch point with the conveyor belt.  The conveyor was not provided with a guard.    C.  Solids, Fragmentizer in-feed conveyor:  On, or about, September 22, 2017, access to the in-running nip point created by the head pulley and the conveyor belt was not prevented by a guard.

Issued

Jan 26, 2018

Abate by

Mar 15, 2018

Penalty

Initial $12,805 · Current $7,683 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i): Procedures were not developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees were engaged in activities covered by this section:  Solids, Fragmentizer:  On, or about, September 22, 2017, the inclined feed conveyor for the Fragmentizer was not locked out before an employee attempted to remove a piece of material from the in-running nip point between the head pulley and conveyor belt.  The employee suffered the amputation of his left arm when his glove got caught in the machine.  The company had not developed and implemented procedures to protect employees when removing debris from the conveyor pulley.

Issued

Jan 26, 2018

Penalty

Initial $7,317 · Current $4,390 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(e)(3)(i): Vertical or inclined belt(s) were not enclosed by guard(s) conforming to the requirements specified at 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o):  Nickel Area, Nickel crusher, Gray Shaker Table to Out-Feed Conveyor:  On, or about, September 26, 2017, the belt and pulley drive located under the shaker table was not provided with a guard.

Issued

Jan 26, 2018

Abate by

Mar 15, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,147 · Current $5,488 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(4)(ii)(A): Contaminated work surfaces were not decontaminated with an appropriate disinfectant after any spill of blood or other potentially infectious materials.  Solids:  On, or about, September 22, 2017, blood and other potentially infectious body fluids were cleaned by employees using wipes, a mop and Simple Green cleaner.  Simple Green is not an appropriate disinfectant in that it does not contain bleach and is not registered with the Environmental Protection Agency as an anti-microbial that is effective against blood borne pathogens.

Issued

Jan 26, 2018

Abate by

Mar 15, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(2)(ii)(A): The employer did not ensure that training was provided to employees with occupational exposure at the time of initial assignment to tasks where occupational exposure might take place:    Solids:  On, or about, September 22, 2017, employees were instructed to clean work surfaces that had become contaminated with blood and other potentially infectious body fluids following a severe machine related injury to a co-worker.  After the co-worker left the scene, the employees were instructed to clean the work area with wipes, a mop and a general purpose cleaner.  The employees had not received training regarding blood borne pathogens, personal protective equipment or proper cleaning methods.

Issued

Jan 26, 2018

Abate by

Mar 15, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,147 · Current $5,488 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(f)(2)(i): Hepatitis B vaccination was not made available within 10 working days of initial assignment to all employee(s) with occupational exposure:   Solids:  On, or about, September 22, 2017, employees designated as First Aid Responders were present at the scene of a traumatic limb amputation in which the injured employee suffered a large amount of blood loss.  The First Aid Responders were not offered the Hepatitis B vaccination series.  Also, employees who were instructed to clean the contaminated work area were not were not offered the Hepatitis B vaccination series.

Issued

Jan 26, 2018

Abate by

May 15, 2018

Penalty

Initial $128,043 · Current $76,826 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1): Machine guarding was not provided to protect operator(s) and other employees from hazard(s) created by pinch points and shear points:    Solids:  On, or about, September 26, 2017, restraint devices had been removed from the following alligator shears and the shears were being used without safeguarding:      A.   Shear #4, Genesco.  B.   Shear #3, Genesco.  C.   Constellation.