OSHA Inspection: OMAHA WILBERT VAULT, INC.

Issued

Jun 1, 2018

Abate by

Jun 27, 2018

Penalty

Initial $5,174 · Current $3,600 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:    The employer is failing to protect employees from struck-by hazards while using a company manufactured spreader beam.  This most recently occurred on December 12, 2017 at 2660 Ed Babe Gomez Ave, Omaha, NE 68107.  Employees were using an unmarked and unrated spreader beam to lift and hoist concrete burial vaults weighing approximately 2,000 pounds.      Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable means of abatement would be to have the spreader beam rated by the same company that rates the employers other spreader beams and have it marked in accordance with ASME B30.20-2013, Below-the-Hook Lifting Device, Chapter 20-1, page 13.

Issued

Jun 1, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,956 · Current $2,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(d)(2): The minimum perpendicular distance from the centerline of the steps or rungs, or grab bars, or both, to the nearest permanent object in back of the ladder is 7 inches (18 cm):    The employer is failing to ensure that employees are protected from fall hazards when using the permanent ladder accessing the area where 55-gallon drums of sealant are maintained.  This most recently occurred on December 12, 2017 at 2660 Ed Babe Gomez Ave, Omaha, NE 68107.  The employer and one employee use the ladder to access the area approximately eight feet above the lower surface where fifty-five gallon drums of sealant are stored and maintained.  Behind the fifth rung of the ladder there is a wooden board attached to the wall in which the permanent ladder is secured.  The distance from the centerline of the rung to the wooden board is three and a quarter inches.

Issued

Jun 1, 2018

Abate by

Jun 27, 2018

Penalty

Initial $3,696 · Current $2,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.29(f)(4): (4) Openings in stair rails.  No opening in a stair rail system exceeds 19 inches (48 cm) at its least dimension:    The employer is exposing employees to fall hazards in that there is no mid-rail between the handrail and walking surface of the stairs leading to the supply storage area.   This most recently occurred on December 12, 2017 at 2660 Ed Babe Gomez Ave, Omaha, NE 68107.  All employees utilize the stairs on a daily basis to get to the second floor storage area to retrieve various office and burial vault building supplies.  The distance between the top rail and stairs is twenty-six inches and the distance from top of the stairs is approximately eight feet.  The distance from the top rail to the stairs is greater than 19 inches.

Issued

Jun 1, 2018

Abate by

Jun 13, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,217 · Current $1,600 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.157(c)(1): The employer shall provide portable fire extinguishers and shall mount, locate and identify them so that they are readily accessible to employees without subjecting the employees to possible injury.     The employer is exposing employees to fire hazards in that the fire extinguishers in the maintenance area are not readily accessible.  This most recently occurred on December 12, 2017 at 2660 Ed Babe Gomez Ave, Omaha, NE 68107.  There are two fire extinguishers located in the maintenance area.  One, which is hanging on the wall, has scrap metal and tools on the floor under the extinguisher.  The other, which is hanging on a steel structural beam, is blocked by a welding cart and a torch cutting cart.

Issued

Jun 1, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,956 · Current $2,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(b): Machine(s) designed for fixed location(s) were not securely anchored to prevent walking or moving:     The employer is failing to protect employees from struck-by hazards when using a bench grinder mounted on a stand and an upright drill press which have not been anchored.  The most recent occurrence was evident during the inspection conducted on December 12, 2017 at the facility located at 2660 Ed Babe Gomez Ave, Omaha, NE 68107.  The following pieces of equipment which are designed for fixed locations have not been anchored to prevent walking or moving while in use:       a)  Delta Ten-inch bench grinder mounted to a stand.       b)  TriStar sixteen speed drill press.

Issued

Jun 1, 2018

Penalty

Initial $3,696 · Current $2,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.253(b)(4)(iii): Oxygen cylinders in storage were not separated from fuel-gas cylinders or combustible materials (especially oil or grease), a minimum distance of 20 feet (6.1 m) or by a noncombustible barrier at least 5 feet (1.5 m) high having a fire-resistance rating of at least one-half hour:    The employer is failing to protect employees from struck-by and burn hazards when storing oxygen tanks next to acetylene tanks.  The most recent occurrence was evident during the inspection conducted on December 12, 2017 at the facility located at 2660 Ed Babe Gomez Ave, Omaha, NE 68107.  In the following instances, the employer allowed the storage of oxygen cylinders and fuel gas cylinders to be co-located (within 20 feet of eachother):      a)  The employer uses oxygen and acetylene for welding operations.  Both oxygen and acetylene tanks are chained next to each other when kept in the storage area.           b)  Welding operations using oxygen and acetylene are performed about once per month.  When not in use the tanks are left in storage on the welding cart next to each other without the installation of cylinder caps.

Issued

Jun 1, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,956 · Current $2,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(6): The employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged or marked with the information specified under paragraphs (f)(6)(i) through (ii) of this section:     The employer is failing to protect employees from the hazards associated with the chemicals used in the workplace.  The most recent occurrence was evident during the inspection conducted on December 12, 2017 at the facility located at 2660 Ed Babe Gomez Ave, Omaha, NE 68107.  The employer is exposing employees to Barsol D-19 and Form Oil which have been transferred from their original containers into secondary containers that are not properly labeled.  The secondary containers are old Blue Bunny ice cream buckets that only have the chemical name on them and no other label information as required by this standard.  The secondary containers are used on a daily basis; however, they are not completely emptied and are put back on the shelf with the chemical product still inside.

Issued

Jun 1, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(1)(ii): The employer did not select and use a NIOSH-certified respirator in compliance with the conditions of its certification:  The employer is failing to protect employees from inhalation hazards associated with using a respirator that is not NIOSH certified. The most recent occurrence was evident during the inspection conducted on December 12, 2017 at the facility located at 2660 Ed Babe Gomez Ave, Omaha, NE 68107.  The employer provided Honeywell dust masks for employees to use at their own discretion for comfort purposes when buffing and/or painting; however, these masks are not NIOSH certified.

Issued

Jun 1, 2018

Abate by

Jun 27, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.184(e)(3)(ii): The employer shall make and maintain a record of the most recent month in which each alloy steel chain sling was thoroughly inspected, and shall make such record available for examination.  The employer is failing to protect employees from caught-under and struck-by hazards associated with using chains to lift and suspend loads.  The most recent occurrence was evident during the inspection conducted on December 12, 2017 at the facility located at 2660 Ed Babe Gomez Ave, Omaha, NE 68107.  The employer has employees lifting loads up to 1 ton using chains which have not had a monthly inspection with a certification record.