OSHA Inspection: RFI LLC

Issued

Nov 8, 2019

Abate by

Dec 16, 2019

Penalty

Initial $8,525 · Current $7,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(1): The employer did not establish a program consisting of an energy control procedure, 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, startup or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the machine or equipment shall be isolated from the energy source and rendered inoperative:    (a) RFI, LLC at 2145 Alter St., Broomfield, CO: On and around July 12, 2019, the employer did not establish a program consisting of energy control procedures and employee training 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 from the energy source, and rendered inoperative, including but not limited to the Dual Ribbon Blender in the Robin Hood Room. This condition exposed employees to amputation hazards and resulted in an affected employee suffering a finger amputation injury.      Abatement Note:  As part of an energy-control program, employers must:      1)      Establish energy-control procedures for removing the energy supply from machines and for putting appropriate lockout or tagout devices on the energy-isolating devices to prevent unexpected re-energization. When appropriate, the procedure also must address stored or potentially re-accumulated energy.      2)      Train employees on the energy-control program, including the safe application, use, and removal of energy controls; and      3)      Inspect these procedures periodically (at least annually) to ensure that they are being followed and that they remain effective in preventing employee exposure to hazardous energy.     The energy-control procedures must outline the scope, purpose, authorization, rules, and techniques that employees will use to control hazardous energy sources, as well as the means that will be used to enforce compliance. These procedures must provide employees at least the following information:      1)      A statement on how to use the procedures;      2)      Specific procedural steps to shut down, isolate, block, and secure machines;      3)      Specific steps designating the safe placement, removal, and transfer of lockout/tagout devices and identifying who has responsibility for the lockout/tagout devices; and      4)      Specific requirements for testing machines to determine and verify the effectiveness of lockout devices, tagout devices, and other energy-control measures.

Issued

Nov 8, 2019

Abate by

Dec 16, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A): Authorized employee(s) did not receive training in the recognition of applicable hazardous energy sources, the type and magnitude of the energy available in the workplace, and the methods and means necessary for energy isolation and control:  (a) RFI, LLC at 2145 Alter St., Broomfield, CO: On and around July 12, 2019, the employer did not train authorized employees on machine specific procedures for the control of potentially hazardous energy for machines, including but not limited to the Dual Ribbon Blender in the Robin Hood room. This condition exposed employees to the machine guarding hazards.

Issued

Nov 8, 2019

Abate by

Dec 16, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(i)(B): Affected employees were not instructed in the purpose and use of the energy control procedure:   (a) RFI, LLC at 2145 Alter St., Broomfield, CO: On and around July 12, 2019, the employer did not train affected  employees in the purpose and use of the energy control procedure for machines, including but not limited to the Dual Ribbon Blender in the Robin Hood room. This condition exposed employees to amputation hazards and resulted in an affected employee suffering a finger amputation injury.

Issued

Nov 8, 2019

Penalty

Initial $5,115 · Current $3,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): The employer did not develop, implement, and 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) RFI, LLC at 2145 Alter St., Broomfield, CO: On and around July 12, 2019, the employer did not develop, implement, and maintain at the workplace a site specific written hazard communication program.  During the cleaning of the Dual Ribbon Blender in the Robin Hood Room, employees are potentially exposed to hazardous chemicals, including but not limited to the following:    1) Bleach  2) Foam Chloro 50

Issued

Nov 8, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(6): The employer used written materials, such as signs, placards, process sheets, or batch tickets in lieu of affixing labels to individual stationary process containers that failed to identify the container(s) to which they were applicable and did not convey the information required by 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(5):  (a) RFI, LLC at 2145 Alter St., Broomfield, CO: On and around July 12, 2019, the employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals was labeled, tagged or marked with a Globally Harmonized System Label. The employer was utilizing NFPA type 704 labelling system for the containers of hazardous chemicals. This condition potentially exposed employee to chemical hazards.

Issued

Nov 8, 2019

Abate by

Dec 16, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:  (a) RFI, LLC at 2145 Alter St., Broomfield, CO: On and around July 12, 2019, the employer did not provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area before being potentially exposed to hazardous chemicals. Employees did not know the hazards of the chemicals in their work areas. Employees had not been trained about the use and format of Globally Harmonized System Labels for containers of hazardous chemicals and safety data sheets. Employees, who were not working with hazardous chemicals but could be exposed to hazardous chemicals during accidental chemical release incidents, were not provided training prior to potential exposure to hazardous chemicals but were provided the training later during annual training sessions. This condition potentially exposed employees to chemical hazards.   Abatement Note: Information and training may be designed to cover categories of hazards (e.g., flammability, carcinogenicity) or specific chemicals. Chemical-specific information must always be available through labels and material safety data sheets.

Issued

Nov 8, 2019

Abate by

Dec 16, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(2): The employer did not verify, through a written certification, that the required workplace hazard assessment had been performed:  (a) RFI, LLC at 2145 Alter St., Broomfield, CO: On and around July 12, 2019, the employer did not verify, through written certification, that the required workplace hazard assessment had been performed.  Personal protective equipment provided to employees for activities, including but not limited to the cleaning of the Dual Ribbon Blender with hazardous chemicals, was not documented in a workplace hazard assessment.  This condition exposed employees to chemical and physical hazards.