OSHA Inspection: WESTMORELAND PLASTICS COMPANY

Issued

Aug 12, 2019

Penalty

Initial $3,977 · Current $2,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(a)(3): Exit route(s) were not kept free and unobstructed:    a) Rear Finishing Department, on or about February 15, 2019 - The side exit route of travel was blocked by a 55-gallon drum of disposable oil and maintenance equipment.

Issued

Aug 12, 2019

Abate by

Oct 4, 2019

Penalty

Initial $5,303 · Current $3,600 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.151(c): Where the eyes or body of any person were exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body were not provided within the work area for immediate emergency use:    (a) 135 Gertrude Street, Latrobe, PA 15650, On or about May 10, 2019 - A device or eye & body wash station or shower providing at least 15 minutes of continuous flush was not provided in the Westmoreland Plastics facility where hazardous corrosive chemicals such as but not limited to: Plenco Phenolic Molding compound, 2-stage which contained phenol, formaldehyde, and calcium hydroxide was used to mold parts.

Issued

Aug 12, 2019

Abate by

Oct 4, 2019

Penalty

Initial $3,977 · Current $2,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): The employer did not develop, implement, and/or maintain at the workplace a written hazard communication program which describes how the criteria specified in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f), (g), and (h) will be met:    (a) 135 Gertrude Street, Latrobe, PA 15650, On or about May 10, 2019 - Westmoreland Plastics did not have a written Hazard Communication program.  Hazardous chemicals such as but not limited to: Plenco Phenolic Molding compound which contained phenol, formaldehyde, and calcium hydroxide; BMC & SMC Polyester/Vinyl Ester which contained Styrene; Wax Pattern Release which contained halogenated hydrocarbon/ether blend; Carnauba Wax Mold Release which contained toluene, 1,1,1 Trichloroethane; Thermoset Mold Release which contained petroleum distillates; and Klean Strip Odorless Minerial Spriits which contained hydrotreated light distillate were used to mold parts.

Issued

Aug 12, 2019

Abate by

Oct 4, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(6)(i): Except as provided in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(7) and 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(8), the employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged or marked with the information required by 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(1)(i) through 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(1)(v):    (a) 135 Gertrude Street, Latrobe, PA 15650, On or about May 10, 2019 - "Maxwell House" size blue containers were not labeled, tagged or marked with appropriate labels that contained Carnauba Wax Mold Release which contained toluene, 1,1,1 Trichloroethane and chlorodifluoromethane.

Issued

Aug 12, 2019

Abate by

Oct 4, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): The employers did not provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new chemical hazard the employees have not previously been trained about is introduced into their work area:     (a) 135 Gertrude Street, Latrobe PA 15650, on or about May 10, 2019 - Westmoreland Plastics did not provide effective information and training on hazardous solvents and compounds used during manufacturing. Hazardous chemicals such as but not limited to: Plenco Phenolic Molding compound which contained phenol, formaldehyde, and calcium hydroxide; BMC & SMC Polyester/Vinyl Ester which contained Styrene; Wax Pattern Release which contained halogenated hydrocarbon/ether blend; Carnauba Wax Mold Release which contained toluene, 1,1,1 Trichloroethane; Thermoset Mold Release which contained petroleum distillates; and Klean Strip Odorless Minerial Spriits which contained hydrotreated light distillate were used to mold parts.

Issued

Aug 12, 2019

Abate by

Oct 4, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(2): The employer did not verify that the required workplace hazard assessment has been performed through a written certification that identifies the workplace evaluated, the person certifying that the evaluation has been performed, the date(s) of the hazard assessment, and, which identifies the document as a certification of hazard assessment:    (a) 135 Gertrude Street, Latrobe, PA 15650, On or about February 15, 2019 - Westmoreland Plastics did not verify a workplace hazard assessment through a written certification when personal protective equipment such as but not limited to face, eye, hand and foot protection would be necessary when handling hazardous chemicals, hot parts and heavy equipment while molding parts.

Issued

Aug 12, 2019

Abate by

Oct 4, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.141(a)(3)(i): All places of employment were not kept clean to the extent that the nature of the work allows:    a) 135 Gertrude Street, Latrobe PA 15650, on or about May 10, 2019 - The floor throughout the worksite were slippery and not maintained in as clean as practical. Employees were exposed to slip and fall hazards due to frequent forklift travel and worker foot travel from one molder to the next during automated manufacturing.

Issued

Aug 12, 2019

Abate by

Oct 4, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(6)(i): The employer did not conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure at least annually to ensure that the procedure and the requirement of this standard were being followed:    a) 135 Gertrude Street, Latrobe PA, On or about February 15, 2019 - Westmoreland Plastics Company's written Lock-out/Tag-out work instruction (#WI-09-13 created 4.4.08) was not inspected on an annual basis.     Maintenance employees performed Lock-out/Tag-out procedures on equipment such as but not limited to: ovens, compression and injection molders such as but not limited to Milacrum Molder 10.