OSHA Inspection: MIDWEST FASTENERS, INC.

Issued

Mar 13, 2019

Abate by

Apr 8, 2019

Penalty

Initial $10,210 · Current $13,260

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(ii): The procedures shall clearly and specifically outline the scope, purpose, authorization, rules, and techniques to be utilized for the control of hazardous energy, and the means to enforce compliance including, but not limited to, the following:    (a)  The machine specific LOTO procedures for the mechanical power presses were incomplete, in that they did not require the use of the interlocked safety blocks that were attached to the presses.    (b)  The machine specific LOTO procedures for the nail machines were inadequate, in that the procedures required the locking out of the main air supply, something that could not be done on the nail machines.

Issued

Mar 13, 2019

Abate by

Apr 8, 2019

Penalty

Initial $10,210 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(5)(i): Locks, tags, chains, wedges, key blocks, adapter pins, self-locking fasteners, or other hardware shall be provided by the employer for isolating, securing or blocking of machines or equipment from energy sources.    (a)  Locks were not provided to an employee for energy isolation of the energy sources, prior to performing die changes on the partial revolution mechanical power presses.

Issued

Mar 13, 2019

Abate by

Apr 8, 2019

Penalty

Initial $10,210 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(6)(i): The employer shall conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure at least annually to ensure that the procedure and the requirements of this standard are being followed:    (a)  There was no periodic inspection of the energy control procedures.

Issued

Mar 13, 2019

Abate by

Apr 8, 2019

Penalty

Initial $10,210 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(d): The established procedures for the application of energy control (the lockout or tagout procedures) shall cover the following elements and actions and shall be done in the following sequence:      Employees who performed setups, servicing and maintenance on and around the mechanical power presses and the nail machines, were not required to:      (1)  turn off and shut down the machines,   (2)  physically locate and operate energy isolating devices in such a manner as to isolate the machine or equipment from the energy source,   (3)  affix lockout or tagout devices to each energy isolating device.      (a)  Employees set up the partial revolution mechanical power presses without first isolating the electrical, pneumatic and gravity energy sources prior to performing die changes or unjamming the press.        (b)  Employees set up Nail Machine #1, #3, #6, #7, and #8, without first isolating the electrical and pneumatic energy sources prior to performing setups and greasing the machine.

Issued

Mar 13, 2019

Abate by

Apr 8, 2019

Penalty

Initial $10,210 · Current $3,120 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(i): The employer shall provide training to ensure that the purpose and function of the 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. The training shall include the following:    (a)  Employees setting up the partial revolution mechanical power presses were not adequately trained on the energy control program, in that they did not know they needed to isolate the electrical, pneumatic and gravity energy sources prior to die changes or unjamming the presses.  When die blocks were used, they were not adequately adjusted to that an excessive gap was not left between the die block and the ram.        (b)  Employees setting up Nail Machine #1, #3, #6, #7, and #8, were not adequately trained on the energy control program, in that they did not know they needed to isolate the electrical and pneumatic energy sources prior to performing setups and greasing parts of the machine inside the guards.

Issued

Mar 13, 2019

Abate by

Apr 8, 2019

Penalty

Initial $10,210 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1):  Types of guarding. One or more methods of machine guarding shall be 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. Examples of guarding methods are-barrier guards, two-hand tripping devices, electronic safety devices, etc.:      (a)  The guards on the Nail Machine #1 were inadequate, in that they left operators exposed to pinch points created by dies, cutting arms, rotating shafts, hammers and spider gears.

Issued

Mar 13, 2019

Abate by

Apr 8, 2019

Penalty

Initial $10,210 · Current $3,120 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.217(b)(7)(iii): A means of selecting Off, "Inch," Single Stroke, and Continuous (when the continuous function is furnished) shall be supplied with the clutch/brake control to select type of operation of the press. Fixing of selection shall be by means capable of supervision by the employer:    (a)  The keys controlling the mode selector (inch, single stroke, continuous) on the Minster Partial Revolution Press #1, Bliss Partial Revolution Press #2 and Bliss Partial Revolution Press #5 were left in the control panel.

Issued

Mar 13, 2019

Abate by

Apr 8, 2019

Penalty

Initial $10,210 · Current $3,120 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.217(c)(1)(i): It shall be the responsibility of the employer to provide and insure the usage of "point of operation guards" or properly applied and adjusted point of operation devices on every operation performed on a mechanical power press. See Table O-10:    (a)  The employer failed to provide point of operation guarding on the Minster Partial Revolution Press #1 and Bliss Partial Revolution Press #2.

Issued

Mar 13, 2019

Abate by

Apr 8, 2019

Penalty

Initial $10,210 · Current $3,120 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.217(d)(9)(iv): The employer shall provide and enforce the use of safety blocks for use whenever dies are being adjusted or repaired in the press.    (a)  Employees adjusting dies on the mechanical power presses, were not required to use safety blocks.

Issued

Mar 13, 2019

Abate by

Apr 8, 2019

Penalty

Initial $20,420 · Current $13,260 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.217(e)(1)(i): It shall be the responsibility of the employer to establish and follow a program of periodic and regular inspections of his power presses to ensure that all their parts, auxiliary equipment, and safeguards are in a safe operating condition and adjustment. The employer shall maintain a certification record of inspections which includes the date of inspection, the signature of the person who performed the inspection and the serial number, or other identifier, of the power press that was inspected:     (a)  There were no periodic and regular inspections of the mechanical power presses, to include checking that all their parts, auxiliary equipment, and safeguards were in a safe operating condition, as well as sizing safety blocks to the proper shut height.    The Midwest Fasteners, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1917(e)(1)(i), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 999774, citation number 1, item number 4 and was affirmed as a final order on March 10, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 450 Richard St., Miamisburg, OH 45343.