OSHA Inspection: OWL ELECTRONICS RECYCLING, INC.

Issued

Oct 11, 2019

Penalty

Initial $1,449 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(11)(ii): Each flight of stairs having at least 3 treads and at least 4 risers was not equipped with stair rail systems and handrails in accordance with Table D-2, Stairway Handrail Requirements:  (a) Production floor - On or about July 17, 2019, the employer had not installed stair rails on the open sides of all stairs providing access to equipment on the production floor.

Issued

Oct 11, 2019

Abate by

Jan 21, 2020

Penalty

Initial $2,416 · Current $2,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(1): The employer did not establish a program consisting of an energy control procedures, employee training, and periodic inspections, to ensure that before any employee performed any servicing or maintenance on a machine or equipment where the unexpected energizing, start up or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the machine or equipment would be isolated, and rendered inoperative in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4).  a) 668 Gravel Pike #300, East Greenville, PA - on or about May 15, 2019, employees performed maintenance and servicing on machinery to include, but not limited to, grinders, shredders, water tanks, mixers, augers, blowers, motors, and conveyors, but the employer did not develop a written energy control program.

Issued

Oct 11, 2019

Abate by

Oct 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $1,932 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)(i): The employer did not ensure that each powered industrial truck operator is competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely, as demonstrated by the successful completion of the training and evaluation specified in this paragraph (l):  a) 668 Gravel Pike #300, East Greenville, PA - on or about May 16, 2019, Employees were operating powered industrial trucks without being provided with the required training and evaluation specified in 1910.78 paragraph l.

Issued

Oct 11, 2019

Abate by

Oct 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $2,416 · Current $2,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1): One or more methods of machine guarding was not 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:  a) Sections 1 and 2 - on or about May 16, 2019, employees performed inspections and operated augers used for plastic recycling operations which were not guarded to protect the employees from the hazard of rotating parts.  b) Section 2 - on or about May 16, 2019, employees performed plastic recycling operations with use of blowers which were not guarded to protect the employees from the hazard of rotating parts.

Issued

Oct 11, 2019

Abate by

Oct 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $1,932 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(1)(i): Conductors entering cutout boxes, cabinets, or fittings shall be protected from abrasion, and openings through which conductors enter shall be effectively closed.  a) Section 3 - on or about May 16, 2019, the employer had conductors entering an electrical cabinet for the zigzag separator, which was not effectively closed and allowed the conductors entering the cabinet to be exposed to abrasion.

Issued

Oct 11, 2019

Abate by

Jan 21, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(g)(1)(iv): Flexible cords and cables were used for purposes prohibited by subparagraphs (a) through (e) of this paragraph:  a) 668 Gravel Ridge, East Greenville, PA - on or about May 16, 2019, employees used multiple extension cords looped through, around and over equipment to power submersible pumps and other equipment in place of fixed wiring.

Issued

Oct 11, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(g)(2)(iii): Identification, splices, and terminations.  Flexible cords and cables shall be connected to devices and fittings so that strain relief is provided that will prevent pull from being directly transmitted to joints or terminal screws.  a) Section 3 - on or about May 16, 2019, a tension relief fitting on the power cable to a motor for the mixer was damaged.

Issued

Oct 11, 2019

Abate by

Jan 21, 2020

Penalty

Initial $2,416 · Current $2,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.333(a): Safety-related work practices were not employed to prevent electric shock or other injuries resulting from either direct or indirect electrical contacts, when work was performed near or on equipment or circuits which were or could be energized.  a) 668 Gravel Pike #300, East Greenville, PA - on or about May 16, 2019, employees performed maintenance on electrical systems up to 380 volts, but the employer did not develop or implement safety-related work practices.

Issued

Oct 11, 2019

Abate by

Jan 21, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.335(a)(1)(i): Employees were not wearing protective equipment that is appropriate for the specific parts of the body to be protected and for the work to be performed when working in an area where there was a potential electrical hazard.   a) Production floor - on or about May 15, 2019, employees performed maintenance and servicing on electrical equipment  at 380 volts did not wear electrical personal protective equipment (PPE) that was appropriate for the specific parts of the body to be protected from potential electrical hazards.       Abatement note: Among other means, following guidelines and providing PPE specified in NFPA 70E could mitigate potential electrical hazards.

Issued

Oct 11, 2019

Abate by

Jan 21, 2020

Penalty

Initial $2,416 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.39(a)(2): The employer did not report within 24-hours a work-related incident resulting in in-patient hospitalization, amputation or the loss of an eye.  a) 668 Gravel Pike #300, East Greenville, PA - on or about April 11, 2019, the employer was informed that an employee injured while inspecting an auger had suffered an amputation but did not report the incident to OSHA within 24-hours.

Issued

Oct 11, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(3)(ii): Each employee was not protected from tripping into or stepping into or through any hole that was less than 4 feet (1.2 m) above a lower level by covers or guardrail systems:  a) Production Area, Section 1 Feed Conveyor - on or about May 16, 2019, holes in the floor for sump pumps three (3) feet in depth were not covered or guarded.

Issued

Oct 11, 2019

Abate by

Jan 21, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.157(e)(2): Portable fire extinguishers were not visually inspected at least monthly:  a) 668 Gravel Pike #300, East Greenville, PA - on or about May 16, 2019, fire extinguishers in the workplace were visually inspected at least monthly.