OSHA Inspection: METALS ENGINEERING, INC

Issued

Oct 23, 2019

Abate by

Nov 21, 2019

Penalty

Initial $6,630 · Current $4,641 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(1): The employer shall evaluate the workplace to determine if any spaces are permit-required confined spaces.     The employer did not evaluate the workplace to determine if any spaces were permit-required confined spaces.  The employer has three Surface heat treat furnaces that were not included in their confined space program as permit required confined spaces.    NOTE: Proper application of the decision flow chart in Appendix A to section 1910.146 would facilitate compliance with this requirement.

Issued

Oct 23, 2019

Abate by

Nov 21, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4): If the employer decides that its employees will enter permit spaces, the employer shall develop and implement a written permit space program that complies with this section. The written program shall be available for inspection by employees and their authorized representatives.  The employer allowed employees to enter permit required confined spaces without developing and implementing their written permit space program as required.  Employees entered the heat treat furnaces to perform preventative maintenance work without utilizing a permit required confined space program.

Issued

Oct 23, 2019

Abate by

Nov 21, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(g)(1): The employer shall provide training so that all employees whose work is regulated by this section acquire the understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary for the safe performance of the duties assigned under this section.  The employer did not train employees in a permit required confined space program when employees entered permit spaces including the three Surface heat treat furnaces to perform preventative maintenance activities.

Issued

Oct 23, 2019

Abate by

Nov 21, 2019

Penalty

Initial $6,630 · Current $4,641 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i): Procedures shall be developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees are engaged in the activities covered by this section.     The employer did not develop, document, and utilize equipment specific energy control procedures when employees performed servicing and maintenance work on equipment including the Surface heat treat furnaces, endothermic gas generators, and Induction Systems heat treat machines among others.    Note: Exception: The employer need not document the required procedure for a particular machine or equipment, when all of the following elements exist: (1) The machine or equipment has no potential for stored or residual energy or reaccumulation of stored energy after shut down which could endanger employees; (2) the machine or equipment has a single energy source which can be readily identified and isolated; (3) the isolation and locking out of that energy source will completely deenergize and deactivate the machine or equipment; (4) the machine or equipment is isolated from that energy source and locked out during servicing or maintenance; (5) a single lockout device will achieve a locker-out condition; (6) the lockout device is under the exclusive control of the authorized employee performing the servicing or maintenance; (7) the servicing or maintenance does not create hazards for other employees; and (8) the employer, in utilizing this exception, has had no accidents involving the unexpected activation or reenergization of the machine or equipment during servicing or maintenance.

Issued

Oct 23, 2019

Abate by

Nov 21, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(f)(3)(i): When servicing and/or maintenance is performed by a crew, craft, department or other group, they shall utilize a procedure which affords the employees a level of protection equivalent to that provided by the implementation of a personal lockout or tagout device.  The employer did not develop a procedure for employees engaged in group lockout tagout activities that provides an equal level of protection as the implementation of a personal lockout tagout device.  Employees are only utilizing one lockout tagout device when multiple employees are engaged in the servicing and maintenance tasks.

Issued

Oct 23, 2019

Abate by

Nov 21, 2019

Penalty

Initial $6,630 · Current $4,641 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)  Employees were exposed to rotating parts, thermal hazards, and coolant overspray on Induction machine #112 that was not provided an effective barrier guard.    (b)  Employees were exposed to crushed by hazards, rotating parts, and thermal hazards on Induction machine #217 that was not provided effective guarding methods.  The machine utilized two hand controls that automatically start the machine without requiring constant use, allowing employees to access the danger zones after initiating the machine cycle.