OSHA Inspection: IMPERIAL ALUMINUM - MINERVA LLC

Issued

Nov 9, 2018

Penalty

Initial $5,174 · Current $3,363 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.25(b): Stairways. General requirements. The employer must ensure:   29 CFR 1910.25(b)(1):  Handrails, stair rail systems, and guardrail systems are provided in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.28;  On or about August 6, 2018, the employer did not assure that the guardrail system for the Tilt furnace crossover stairway landing was provided with a midrail, screen, mesh, intermediate vertical members, solid panels, or equivalent intermediate member on both open sides. Due to this condition, employees were not completely protected from falling into the molten aluminum metal trough below the crossover stairway landing.

Issued

Nov 9, 2018

Penalty

Initial $3,880 · Current $2,522 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.25(b): General requirements. The employer must ensure:  29 CFR 1910.25(b)(3): Stairs have uniform riser heights and tread depths between landings;    On or about August 6, 2018, the east side of the Tilt furnace crossover stairway had damaged stairs which resulted in a lack of uniform riser heights. The first and fourth treads were damaged and bent with the fourth tread broken from the mount (on one side.) Due to this condition, employees were exposed to a same level trip/fall hazard during stair use.

Issued

Nov 9, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.25(c): Standard stairs.  In addition to paragraph (b) of this section, the employer must ensure standard stairs:  29 CFR 1910.25(c)(2): Have a maximum riser height of 9.5 inches (24 cm);  On or about August 6, 2018, the east side of the Tilt furnace crossover stairway had damaged stairs. The fourth tread was damaged, bent and broken from the mount (on one side.) This resulted in a riser height from the fourth tread to the stairway landing of 13.5 to 14 inches and exceeded the maximum riser height of 9.5 inches. Due to this condition, employees were exposed to a same level trip/fall hazard during stair use.

Issued

Nov 9, 2018

Abate by

Jan 15, 2019

Penalty

Initial $5,174 · Current $3,363 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b): Protection from fall hazards-   29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1): Unprotected sides and edges.   29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1)(i): Except as provided elsewhere in this section, the employer must ensure that each employee on a walking-working surface with an unprotected side or edge that is 4 feet (1.2 m) or more above a lower level is protected from falling by one or more of the following: 29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1)(i)(A) Guardrail systems; 29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1)(i)(B) Safety net systems; or 29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1)(i)(C) Personal fall protection systems, such as personal fall arrest, travel restraint, or positioning systems.   On or about August 6, 2018, the employer failed to provide protection from fall hazards for unprotected sides and edges of walking-working surfaces at the following locations in or near the Casting pit area:  a. the south side of the pit area, adjacent to the access ladder to the lower level of the casting pit carousel area,  b. the west side of the Reverb furnace trough catwalk, and  c. the north side of the pit area, adjacent to the access ladder tot he lower level of the casting pit carousel area.  Due to these conditions, pit crew employees were exposed to fall hazards of up to approximately 6 feet to lower level concrete surfaces in the pit area.

Issued

Nov 9, 2018

Abate by

Jan 15, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b): Protection from fall hazards-   29 CFR 1910.28(b)(6): Dangerous equipment. The employer must ensure:  29 CFR 1910.28(b)(6)(i) Each employee less than 4 feet (1.2 m) above dangerous equipment is protected from falling into or onto the dangerous equipment by a guardrail system or a travel restraint system, unless the equipment is covered or guarded to eliminate the hazard.  On or about August 6, 2018, the employer failed to provide protection from falling into the reverb furnace trough on the west side of the trough catwalk. The catwalk walking-working surface was immediately adjacent to the trough and posed a same level fall into the dangerous equipment. Due to this condition, employees were at increased risk to molten aluminum metal burns.

Issued

Nov 9, 2018

Abate by

Jan 15, 2019

Penalty

Initial $5,174 · Current $3,363 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.29(b)(1): (1) The top edge height of top rails, or equivalent guardrail system members, are 42 inches (107 cm), plus or minus 3 inches (8 cm), above the walking-working surface.  The top edge height may exceed 45 inches (114 cm), provided the guardrail system meets all other criteria of paragraph (b) of this section (see Figure D-11).  a. On or about August 6, 2018, the employer failed to provide guardrail system top rail members that met the requirements for paragraph (b) of this section for the north area of the casting pit between the steel I-beam support and the Tilt furnace trough catwalk, where the top rail for the guardrail system was broken and bent towards the midrail, approximately 28 inches above the walking-working surface. Due to this condition, employees were exposed to an approximate five foot fall hazard to the concrete lower level of the pit area.  b. On or about August 6, 2018, the employer failed to provide guardrail system top rail members that met the requirements for paragraph (b) of this section for the Reverb furnace trough catwalk/platform, where the top rail for guardrail system on the side adjacent to the Tilt furnace trough was damaged and bent downwards to a height approximately 32 inches above the walking-working surface of the catwalk/platform. Due to this condition, employees were exposed to burn hazards associated with falling into the Tilt furnace trough from the Reverb furnace catwalk/platform.

Issued

Nov 9, 2018

Abate by

Jan 15, 2019

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $5,885 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1): Hazard assessment and equipment selection.    29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1): The employer shall assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). If such hazards are present, or likely to be present, the employer shall:    29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1)(i): Select, and have each affected employee use, the types of PPE that will protect the affected employee from the hazards identified in the hazard assessment;    On or about August 6, 2018, the employer failed to select and have foundry employees use personal protective equipment to protect against direct splashes of molten aluminum metal. The employer required one hundred percent cotton uniforms but did not provide any protective equipment beyond leather spats used to protect the foot, face shields to protect the face and leather gloves for hand protection. The employer failed to provide appropriate protective equipment to protect the torso and extremities (legs and arms,) including equipment that would cover the molten metal collection points posed by the uniform shirt and pant pockets.  On July 28, 2018, an employee suffered serious burns to the left leg when splashed with molten aluminum metal while raking the molten metal trough in the casting pit area of the foundry.

Issued

Nov 9, 2018

Abate by

Jan 15, 2019

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(f) Training.    29 CFR 1910.132(f)(1) The employer shall provide training to each employee who is required by this section to use PPE. Each such employee shall be trained to know at least the following:    29 CFR 1910.132(f)(1)(iii): How to properly don, doff, adjust, and wear PPE;    On or about August 6, 2018, the employer failed to provide training regarding how to properly don and wear personal protective equipment for employees with exposure to molten aluminum metal splash hazards associated with furnace and casting operations. The employer failed to train employees to wear uniform pants outside of protective leather spats (foot protection) and instructed employees to tuck the uniform pants into the protective leather spats which created potential for molten metal entry into or under the spat. Due to this condition, employees who worked in furnace and casting operations had increased risk for injury due to the associated molten aluminum metal splash hazards.

Issued

Nov 9, 2018

Abate by

Jan 15, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(f): Training.    29 CFR 1910.132(f)(1): The employer shall provide training to each employee who is required by this section to use PPE. Each such employee shall be trained to know at least the following:    29 CFR 1910.132(f)(1)(iv): The limitations of the PPE;     On or about August 6, 2018, the employer failed to provide training regarding the limitations of 100% cotton uniforms as primary protection against direct molten metal splash for employees with exposure to molten aluminum metal splash hazards associated with casting operations. The employer relied on 100% cotton uniforms without any protective equipment provided or required for employee use as protection of the torso, legs and arms during these activities. On July 28, 2018, an employee suffered serious burns to the left leg when the uniform pant was splashed with molten aluminum metal while raking the molten metal trough in the casting pit area of the foundry.