OSHA Inspection: SPECTRO COATING CORP.

Issued

Apr 27, 2018

Abate by

Dec 28, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $5,013 Reduced

Hazardous substances E200M102

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that caused or were likely to cause death or serious physical harm in that employees were exposed to the hazards of dust explosions, deflagrations, and other fire hazards:    Range 1 Flock Room:  On or about 11/2/17, the flock modules, which apply flock onto cloth, were not equipped and used in a safe manner.  Employees were exposed to the hazards of dust explosions, deflagrations, and other fire hazards due to potential sources of ignition including, but not limited to, electrostatic grids in the flock modules, static electricity discharges, sparks originating from tramp metal getting entrained into the system, and mechanical failures causing overheating of components.  On 11/2/17, an employee was burned when the combustible dust in the Range 1 flock machine ignited.

Issued

Apr 27, 2018

Abate by

Dec 28, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances E200M102

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1): All places of employment, passageways, storerooms or service rooms were not kept clean and orderly or in a sanitary condition:    Range 1 Flock Room:  On or about 11/2/17, an accumulation of combustible nylon dust over 1/32 of an inch thick was located on an area which comprised over 5% of the area of the room, including, but not limited to the top and other sections of the flock modules, electrical boxes, and other surfaces.

Issued

Apr 27, 2018

Abate by

Jul 2, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $5,013 Reduced

Hazardous substances E200M102

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(a): Protective equipment was not used when necessary whenever hazards capable of causing injury and impairment were encountered:    Range 1 Flock Room:  On or about 11/2/17, employees exposed to fire/deflagration/explosion hazards were not wearing fire-resistant clothing such as, but not limited to, long pants and long sleeves to protect them from burns.  An employee was burned on the parts of his body which were exposed.

Issued

Apr 27, 2018

Abate by

Jun 1, 2018

Penalty

Initial $5,174 · Current $5,174

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1): The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee was fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace:  Range 1 Flock Room: On or about 11/2/17, employees wearing filtering-facepiece respirators, as required by the employer, had not been provided medical evaluations to determine their ability to use a respirator.

Issued

Apr 27, 2018

Abate by

Jun 1, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $5,013 Reduced

Hazardous substances E200M102

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.145(c)(3): Safety instruction sign(s) were not used where there was a need for general instructions and suggestions relative to safety measure(s):    Range 1 Flock Room:  On or about 11/2/17, caution signs regarding combustible dust fire/explosion hazards were not installed on the flock machine or in the flock room to warn employees of the combustible/explosive properties of the dust.

Issued

Apr 27, 2018

Abate by

Jun 1, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances E200M102

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:  Range 1 Flock Room: On or about 11/2/17, employees were not provided effective information and training on the hazards of combustible dust.

Issued

Apr 27, 2018

Abate by

May 3, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $5,013 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:      101 Scott Dr., Leominster, MA      On February 6, 2018 and at times prior, employees who thoroughly cleaned Flock Room machines during a color change did not utilize the energy control procedure and did not lock out the electrical source of energy.  Employees lifted hinged guards to clean brushes, belts, and pulleys.

Issued

Apr 27, 2018

Abate by

Jul 27, 2018

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:    101 Scott Dr., Leominster, MA    As of November 28, 2017, the employer had not performed a periodic inspection that ensured each procedure was inspected for inaccuracies during an actual energy control task.  The employer did not include a review, between the inspector and every authorized employee, of each employee's responsibilities under the energy control procedure.

Issued

Apr 27, 2018

Abate by

May 3, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(f)(3)(ii)(D): Each authorized employee did not affix a personal lockout or tagout device to the group lockout device before working on the machine or equipment:     101 Scott Dr., Leominster, MA  On February 6, 2018 and at times prior, employees who cleaned Flock Room machines during non-color changes were protected by the lead person's lockout device, but did not always apply their own lock to the energy sources.