OSHA Inspection: WALKER FORGE INC

Issued

Apr 11, 2019

Penalty

Initial $8,051 · Current $4,831 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(3)(iv): Each employee is protected from falling into a ladderway floor hole or ladderway platform hole by a guardrail system and toeboards erected on all exposed sides, except at the entrance to the hole, where a self-closing gate or an offset must be used;    (a)  On or about October 18, 2018, in the Press Department, the 2503 Induction Furnace Power Supply had a ladder to a work platform without a self-closing gate or offset exposing employees to fall hazard of approximately 127 inches.    (b)  On or about January 14, 2019, in the Hammer Department, the Wheelabrator Dust Collector had a ladder to a work platform without a self-closing gate or offset exposing employees to fall hazard of approximately 82 1/2 inches.

Issued

Apr 11, 2019

Abate by

May 9, 2019

Penalty

Initial $6,440 · Current $3,864 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.184(c)(7): Slings shall be padded or protected from the sharp edges of their loads.    On or about February 6, 2019, in the Press Department by the Ajax presses waiting to be rebuilt, employees lifted and turned a 4000 Ton Erie Press Clutch Pinion Gear in a basket hitch style without padding/protecting the edges of the wire rope sling exposing employees to struck by hazards.

Issued

Apr 11, 2019

Abate by

May 17, 2019

Penalty

Initial $6,440 · Current $3,864 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)  On or about February 6, 2019, in the Press Department, the Extractor Conveyor along the side of the 1301 forge press had an unguarded in running nip point on the ODD steel conveyor exposing employees to caught in hazards.    (b)      (c)  On or about the week of January 21, 2019, in the Production/Machining Department, the LaPointe Broach Machine had an unguarded pinch point between the roller and stop.    (d)  On or about the week of January 21, 2019, in the Production/Machining Department, the LaPointe Broach Machine had an unguarded pinch point between the part (being splined) and frame.    (e)  On or about February 5, 2019, in the Die Shop North, the Makino GF-6 #1 (S/N:  531, CNC ML7) had an automatic tool carriage carousel which was unguarded exposing employees to struck by hazards.    (f)  On or about February 5, 2019, in the Die Shop North, the Makino GF #2 (S/N:  650, CNC ML8) had an automatic tool carriage carousel which was unguarded exposing employees to struck by hazards.    (g)  On or about February 5, 2019, in the Steel Cut/Back Cutting Area, the Nishijimax 150mm Saw had doors which could be removed during operation exposing employees to struck by hazards.

Issued

Apr 11, 2019

Abate by

May 9, 2019

Penalty

Initial $8,051 · Current $4,831 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(3)(ii): The point of operation of machines whose operation exposes an employee to injury, shall be guarded. The guarding device shall be in conformity with any appropriate standards therefor, or, in the absence of applicable specific standards, shall be so designed and constructed as to prevent the operator from having any part of his body in the danger zone during the operating cycle.    (a)  On or about February 5, 2019, in the Die Shop North, the Blanchard Grinder, BLA 1, did not have adequate guarding which prevented contact to the point of operation.    (b)  On or about February 5, 2019, in the Die Shop North, the Makino GF-6 #1 (S/N:  531, CNC ML 7) had the door interlock release "ON" exposing employees to struck by hazards.      (c)  On or about February 5, 2019, in the Die Shop North, the Makino GF #2 (S/N:  650, CNC ML 8) had the door interlock release "ON" exposing employees to struck by hazards.    (d)  On or about February 5, 2019, in the Die Shop North, the Makino (Type:  F5, S/N:  V150206, MILL11) had the safety interlock bypassed when the actuator key had been removed from the door of the CNC and inserted into the solenoid locking tongue switch which exposed employees to struck by hazards.    (e)      (f)

Issued

Apr 11, 2019

Abate by

May 9, 2019

Penalty

Initial $6,440 · Current $3,864 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(c)(4)(i): Projecting shaft ends shall present a smooth edge and end and shall not project more than one-half the diameter of the shaft unless guarded by nonrotating caps or safety sleeves.    On or about February 5, 2019, in the Press Department, the Oufeed of the Induction Furnace for the 3501 line had a 1 1/2" diameter shaft which extended approximately 2 1/2" exposing employees to caught in hazards.

Issued

Apr 11, 2019

Abate by

May 9, 2019

Penalty

Initial $8,051 · Current $4,831 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.242(b): Compressed air used for cleaning. Compressed air shall not be used for cleaning purposes except where reduced to less than 30 p.s.i. and then only with effective chip guarding and personal protective equipment.    On or about the week of January 21, 2019, in the Production/Machining Department, an air nozzle used to blow off parts by the Makino Mill 5 had a pressure of approximately 110 psi exposing employees to an embolism.

Issued

Apr 11, 2019

Penalty

Initial $5,474 · Current $3,284 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.252(b)(2)(iii): Protection from arc welding rays. Where the work permits, the welder should be enclosed in an individual booth painted with a finish of low reflectivity such as zinc oxide (an important factor for absorbing ultraviolet radiations) and lamp black, or shall be enclosed with noncombustible screens similarly painted. Booths and screens shall permit circulation of air at floor level. Workers or other persons adjacent to the welding areas shall be protected from the rays by noncombustible or flameproof screens or shields or shall be required to wear appropriate goggles.    (a)  On or about February 5, 2019, in the maintenance area, employees working adjacent to the welding area were not protected from the arc welding rays exposing employees to eye injuries.

Issued

Apr 11, 2019

Penalty

Initial $6,844 · Current $4,106 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(1)(ii): Unused openings in cabinets, boxes, and fittings shall be effectively closed.    On or about the week of January 7, 2019, in the Hammer Department, the Erie Foundry Co. 2,000 pound board drop hammer had a missing knockout for the junction box powering the foot pedal exposing employees to electrical shock hazards.

Issued

Apr 11, 2019

Abate by

May 9, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.217(c)(3)(iv)(d): Each pull-out device in use shall be visually inspected and checked for proper adjustment at the start of each operator shift, following a new die set-up, and when operators are changed. Necessary maintenance or repair or both shall be performed and completed before the press is operated. Records of inspections and maintenance shall be kept in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section.  (a) On or about February 5, 2019, in the Hammer Department, the Verson #812 mechanical punch press inspection records of the two hand pull out device was not maintained. (b)  On or about February 5, 2019, in the Finishing/Shipping Department, the #808 Toledo Coin Press mechanical punch press inspection records of the two hand pull out device was not maintained. (c)  On or about the week of January 21, 2019, in the Finishing/Shipping Department, the #805 Bliss No. 305 mechanical punch press inspection records of the two hand pull out device was not maintained.