OSHA Inspection: VACUUM CERAMICS, INC.

Issued

Jul 24, 2018

Abate by

Aug 17, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,217 · Current $1,660 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(c): The employer did not provide, and ensure each employee used, a safe means of access and egress to and from walking-working surfaces:     (a) Facility, Near the M-5 Vacuum Machine:  On or about May 11, 2018, employees would walk over and near an uncovered trough that measured between 4 to 7 inches in depth and was about 6 inches in width.  The employees would have to walk by and cross over this trough to operate the controls to the M-5 machine.  The floor in this area was wet and slippery.

Issued

Jul 24, 2018

Abate by

Oct 1, 2018

Penalty

Initial $1,663 · Current $1,250 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.36(d)(1): Employee(s) were not able to open an exit route door from the inside at all times without keys, tools, or special knowledge:     (a)  Facility, Maintenance Shop Office:  On or about June 5, 2018, the exit door from the maintenance shop office was nailed/screwed shut.

Issued

Jul 24, 2018

Abate by

Aug 3, 2018

Penalty

Initial $1,663 · Current $1,250 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.141(a)(3)(i): Places of employment were not kept clean to the extent that the nature of the work allowed:     (a)  Facility, Production Areas:  On or about June 5, 2018, housekeeping at the facility was very poor.

Issued

Jul 24, 2018

Abate by

Aug 17, 2018

Penalty

Initial $1,663 · Current $1,250 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.145(c)(2)(i): Caution signs were not used to warn against potential hazards or to caution against unsafe practices:    (a)  Facility:  On or about June, 5, 2018, there were no caution signs to warn about pinch points at the Pim Injection machine.

Issued

Jul 24, 2018

Abate by

Oct 1, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,217 · Current $1,660 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(1): The employer did not establish a program consisting of an energy control procedure, employee training and periodic inspections to ensure that before any employee performed any servicing or maintenance on a machine or equipment where the unexpected energizing, startup or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the machine or equipment shall be isolated from the energy source and rendered inoperative:     (a)  Facility:  On or about May 11, 2018, the employer did not have an energy control program.  Employees operate and do some light maintenance on machines at the facility.

Issued

Jul 24, 2018

Abate by

Oct 1, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4): Procedures were not developed, documented, and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees were engaged in activities covered by this section:     Facility:  On or about May 11, 2018, the employer did not develop procedures for each machine at the facility covered by this section to control potentially hazardous energy sources from injuring and employee.

Issued

Jul 24, 2018

Abate by

Oct 1, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7): The employer did not provide training to ensure that the purpose and functions of he energy control program are understood by employees and that the knowledge and skills required for the safe application, usage, and removal of the energy controls are acquired by employees:     (a) Facility:  On or about May 11, 2017, the employer did not provide any training to its employees in the energy control program.

Issued

Jul 24, 2018

Abate by

Oct 1, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,217 · Current $1,660 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l): Operators were not trained in the safe operation of powered industrial trucks:    (a)  Facility:  On or about May 7, 2018, employees that operate powered industrial trucks (the two Toyota forklifts) were not trained to safely operate them.

Issued

Jul 24, 2018

Abate by

Oct 1, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,772 · Current $2,080 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1): One or more methods of machine guarding was not 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:     (a) Facility:  On or about May 11, 2018, there was an unguarded shaft with paddles to the M-5 vacuum machine.     (b)  Facility:  On or about June 5, 2018, there were unguarded paddles on the Pulper K-4.  The opening to this pulper was about 2 feet square and the mixing blades were about 5 feet from the opening.       (c)  Facility, Mark 5 Building:  On or about June 5, 2018, the 5 1/2 foot diameter dip tank was open nor did it have any guardrail around it.  This dip tank had a shaft with rotating blades in it.     (d)  Facility, Mark 5 Building:  On or about June 5, 2018, on the #1 oven, there are unguarded pinch points created between the drive shafting and the metal belt.

Issued

Jul 24, 2018

Abate by

Oct 1, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1): One or more methods of machine guarding was not 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:     (a) Facility:  On or about June 5, 2018, employees were not protected from having any part of their body injured from the closing point-of-operation of the PIM Injection machine.

Issued

Jul 24, 2018

Abate by

Aug 3, 2018

Penalty

Initial $1,663 · Current $1,250 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.215(a)(4): Work rest(s) on grinding machinery were not adjusted closely to the wheel with a maximum opening of one eighth inch:     (a)  Facility, Maintenance Shop:  On or about June 5, 2018, the work rest to the 6 inch United States Electric Tool Company pedestal grinder was 1/2 inch from the abrasive wheel.

Issued

Jul 24, 2018

Abate by

Aug 3, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.215(b)(9): The distance between the abrasive wheel periphery(s) and the adjustable tongue or the end of the safety guard peripheral member at the top exceeded one fourth inch:   (a)  Facility, Maintenance Shop:  On or about June 5, 2018, there was no tongue guard on the United States Electric Tool Company 6 inch abrasive wheel pedestal grinder.

Issued

Jul 24, 2018

Abate by

Oct 1, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,217 · Current $1,660 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(d)(1): Pulley(s) with part(s) seven feet or less from the floor or work platform were not guarded in accordance with the requirements specified in 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o):     (a) Facility, Mark 5 Building:  On or about June 5, 2018, there were unguarded pulleys near the Dip Tank.

Issued

Jul 24, 2018

Abate by

Aug 3, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(e)(1)(i): Horizontal belts which had both runs 42 inches or less from the floor level were not fully enclosed by guards conforming to requirements specified in 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o):  (a) Facility, Mark 5 Building:  On or about June 5, 2018, there was an unguarded horizontal belt near the dip tank.

Issued

Jul 24, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $6,840 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(f)(3): Sprocket wheels and chains which were seven -7 feet or less above floors or platforms were not enclosed:    (a)  Facility:  On or about May 7, 2018, there were unguarded chains and sprockets to the drive paddle shaft to the M-5 vacuum machine.

Issued

Jul 24, 2018

Abate by

Aug 3, 2018

Penalty

Initial $1,663 · Current $1,250 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(g)(1): Sufficient access and working space was not provided and maintained about all electric equipment (operating at 600 volts, nominal, or less to ground) to permit ready and safe operation and maintenance of such equipment:     (a) Facility, Maintenance Shop:  On or about June 5, 2018, there was a table full of junk in front of electrical disconnect boxes.  This table and junk blocked access to the energized and turned on electrical boxes.

Issued

Jul 24, 2018

Abate by

Aug 3, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,217 · Current $1,660 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(g)(2)(i): Except as elsewhere required or permitted by Subpart S of Part 1910, live parts of electric equipment operating  at 50 volts or more were not guarded against accidental contact by use of approved cabinets or other forms of approved enclosures or by any of the means identified in paragraphs (A), (B), (C), and (D) of 29 CFR 1910.303(g)(2)(i):    (a) Facility, By #2 Dip Tank:  On or about May 5, 2018, the cover to an electrical junction box was missing and there were exposed, energized 110 v AC parts exposed.

Issued

Jul 24, 2018

Abate by

Aug 3, 2018

Penalty

Initial $1,663 · Current $1,250 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(f)(1): Each disconnecting means required by Subpart S of Part 1910 for motors and appliances was not legibly marked to indicate its purpose, nor located and arranged so the purpose was evident:     (a) Jobsite, Maintenance Shop:  On or about June 5, 2018, there were electrical disconnect boxes that were turned on and they were not identified as to what they supplied electrical power to.

Issued

Jul 24, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,772 · Current $2,080 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.39(a)(2): The employer did not report within 24-hours a work-related incident resulting in in-patient hospitalization, amputation or the loss of an eye:     (a) Facility:  On or about May 8, 2018, the employer did not report an employee hospitalization as a result of an injury at the facility.