OSHA Inspection: MIDWEST ELASTOMERS, INC.

Issued

Aug 16, 2019

Abate by

Sep 4, 2019

Penalty

Initial $5,834 · Current $2,917 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(7): The employer did not ensure that each employee on a walking-working surface near an opening 4 feet (1.2 m) or more above a lower level is protected from falling:    a. Midwest Elastomers, Inc. - Wapakoneta, Ohio: On or about May 8, 2019, the employer did not ensure that the ladderway floor opening, located on the first elevated platform at the 02-Cryo line, was guarded to protect employees from fall hazards of approximately seven feet.   b.Midwest Elastomers, Inc. - Wapakoneta, Ohio: On or about May 8, 2019, the employer did not ensure that the ladderway floor opening, located on the second elevated platform at the 02-Cryo line, was guarded to protect employees from fall hazards of approximately four feet.  c. Midwest Elastomers, Inc. - Wapakoneta, Ohio: On or about May 8, 2019, the employer did not ensure that the ladderway floor opening, located on the third (top) elevated platform at the 02-Cryo line, was guarded to protect employees from fall hazards of approximately eight feet.  d. Midwest Elastomers, Inc. - Wapakoneta, Ohio: On or about May 8, 2019, the employer did not ensure that the ladderway floor opening, located at the 02-Cryo mill platform, was guarded to protect employees from fall hazards of approximately seven feet.

Issued

Aug 16, 2019

Abate by

Aug 27, 2019

Penalty

Initial $10,210 · Current $10,210

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. Midwest Elastomers, Inc. - Wapakoneta, Ohio: On or about May 1, 2019, a periodic inspection of the energy control procedures was not performed to assure that lockout/tagout procedure and requirements of 29 CFR 1910.147 were being followed.  The employer did not assure that the energy control procedure for 02-Cryo line was inspected.

Issued

Aug 16, 2019

Abate by

Oct 15, 2019

Penalty

Initial $10,210 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(iii)(A): Retraining was not provided for authorized and affected employees when there was a change in their job assignments, a change in machines, equipment or processes that presented a new hazard, or when there was a change in the energy control procedures.  a. Midwest Elastomers, Inc. - Wapakoneta, Ohio: On or about May 1, 2019, the employer did not ensure that where there was a change in job assignments, authorized employees were retrained on safe application, methods, and means to isolate and control energy sources of that equipment.  Employees were not retrained in lockout/tagout prior to the change in job assignment of cleaning and/or unjamming the 02-Cryo cyclone equipment.

Issued

Aug 16, 2019

Abate by

Oct 15, 2019

Penalty

Initial $20,420 · Current $10,210 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(d): The established procedure for the application of energy control (the lockout or tagout procedures) did not cover the actions listed in and was not done in sequence as required by 29 CFR 1910.147(d)(1)-(6):  a. Midwest Elastomers, Inc. - Wapakoneta, Ohio: On or about May 1, 2019, employees were exposed to amputation injury in that the 02-Cryo Line cyclone vent relief airlock was not locked out prior to unjamming activities.  The employer did not ensure energy control applications steps to control the electrical energy source were implemented prior to employees accessing the hazard area to remove rubber material from the cyclone's airlock; the employer did not:  - Turn off or shut down the equipment. - Physically operate energy isolating devices to control energy sources and affix lockout device(s). - Ensure that all potentially hazardous stored or residual energy was relieved, disconnected, and rendered safe. - Verify that isolation and deenergization of the machine or equipment had been accomplished.  Midwest Elastomers, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard 29 CFR 1910.147(d) which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1223125, citation number 1, item number 1,  and was affirmed as a final order on July 6, 2017, with respect to a workplace located at 700 Industrial Dr., Wapakoneta, Ohio.

Issued

Aug 16, 2019

Abate by

Sep 4, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(ii)(D): The energy control procedures did not clearly and specifically outline the requirements for testing a machine or equipment to determine and verify the effectiveness of lockout devices, tagout devices, and other energy controls:  a. Midwest Elastomers, Inc. - Wapakoneta, Ohio: On or about May 1, 2019, the employer did not ensure that energy control procedures for the 02-Cryo line identified specific steps to verify energy control measures.