OSHA Inspection: MONOFRAX, LLC

Issued

Nov 1, 2019

Abate by

Dec 18, 2019

Penalty

Initial $5,796 · Current $4,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(3)(iv): The employer did not ensure each employee was protected from falling into a ladder way floor hole or ladder way platform hole by a guardrail system and toe boards erected on all exposed sides, except at the entrance to the hole, where a self-closing gate or an offset must be used.  a) On or about 07/30/2019 Crushing Department; employees were exposed to fall hazard of approximately 7 feet when the top of the ladder way, used to access the platform, was open without any protection from falling into the opening at the top of the ladder.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Nov 1, 2019

Abate by

Nov 26, 2019

Penalty

Initial $4,347 · Current $3,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.106(e)(6)(ii): Category 1 or 2 flammable liquids, or Category 3 flammable liquids with a flashpoint below 100 °F (37.8 °C), were dispensed into containers without the nozzle and container being electrically interconnected.  a) On or about 07/30/2019, in the Maintenance Department, when employees dispense Big Orange from a metal drum to smaller containers, employees did not use bonding wires to electrically interconnect the drums and containers together, exposing them to fire hazards.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Nov 1, 2019

Abate by

Nov 26, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.106(e)(6)(i): Adequate precautions were not taken to prevent the ignition of flammable vapors from sources such as open flames; lightning; smoking; cutting and welding; hot surfaces; frictional heat; static, electrical, and mechanical sparks; spontaneous ignition, including heat-producing chemical reactions; and radiant heat:  a) On or about 07/30/2019, in the Maintenance Department, when employees dispense Big Orange from a metal drum to smaller containers employees did not ground metal drum to remove static electricity, exposing them to fire hazards.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Nov 1, 2019

Abate by

Dec 18, 2019

Penalty

Initial $7,246 · Current $4,423 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(2): The employer did not inform exposed employees, by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means, of the existence and location of and the danger posed by the permit spaces:  a) On or about 07/30/2019, in the Flasking Area, employer did not inform exposed employees by posting danger signs or any other equally effective means that the Furnace was a confined space.  b) On or about 07/30/2019, in the Old Box Dump Area, employer did not inform exposed employees by posting danger signs or any other equally effective means that the Old Box Dump was a confined space.   ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED

Issued

Nov 1, 2019

Abate by

Feb 18, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(e)(1): Before entry is authorized, the employer shall document the completion of measures required by paragraph (d)(3) of this section by preparing an entry permit.  a) On or about 07/30/2019, in the Flasking Area; when employees enter the furnace for cleaning, employer did not develop and implement safe permit confined space entry procedures such as but not limited to: specifying acceptable entry conditions, ventilating the permit space to eliminate or control atmospheric hazards, performing testing and monitoring to verify that conditions in the permit space are acceptable for entry throughout the duration of an authorized entry or rescue and emergency procedures exposing employees to atmospheric and safety hazards.  b) On or about 07/30/2019 in the Rail car Unloading Area; when employees enter the 100 train pit for preventative maintenance activities, employer did not develop and implement safe permit confined space entry procedures such as but not limited to: specifying acceptable entry conditions, performing testing and monitoring to verify that conditions in the permit space are acceptable for entry throughout the duration of an authorized entry or rescue and emergency procedures exposing employees to atmospheric and safety hazards.   c) On or about 07/30/2019 Old Box Dump Area, when employees enter the Old box dump for cleaning, employer did not develop and implement safe permit confined space entry procedures such as but not limited to: specifying acceptable entry conditions, performing testing and monitoring to verify that conditions in the permit space are acceptable for entry throughout the duration of an authorized entry or rescue and emergency procedures exposing employees to atmospheric and safety hazards.   ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED    NOTE: Appendix D to section 1910.146 presents examples of permits whose elements are considered to comply with the requirements of this section.

Issued

Nov 1, 2019

Abate by

Feb 18, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,796 · Current $4,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(f)(3)(i): A procedure was not utilized to afford the employees a level of protection equivalent to that provided by the implementation of a personal lockout or tagout device when servicing and/or maintenance was performed by a crew, craft  a) On or about 07/30/2019, in the Old Box Dump, when employees were cleaning the pit, they did not apply their lock on the electrical disconnect while entering the pit exposing them to the unexpected start of the motor.  b) On or about 07/30/2019, throughout facility, when maintenance employees work together they did not ensure each employee applies their own lock on the energy sources when performing servicing or maintenance activities such as changing gears.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Nov 1, 2019

Abate by

Feb 18, 2020

Penalty

Initial $7,246 · Current $4,423 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) On or about 07/30/2019, in the Saw and Grind Area, saws are not guarded to protect operators or other employees in the machine are from accidental contact with the saws.  ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED

Issued

Nov 1, 2019

Abate by

Feb 18, 2020

Penalty

Initial $13,639 · Current $7,577 Reduced

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) On or about 07/30/2019, throughout establishment, employer failed to conduct periodic inspections of the Lockout/Tagout procedures for employees that perform servicing/maintenance activities such as changing belts, replacing blades on saws or cleaning machines.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED  Monofrax, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(6)(i), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1098751, citation number 1, item number 2 and was affirmed as a final order on 01/20/2016, with respect to a workplace located at 1870 New York Avenue, Falconer, NY 14733.

Issued

Nov 1, 2019

Abate by

Feb 18, 2020

Penalty

Initial $13,639 · Current $7,577 Reduced

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.  a) On or about 07/30/2019, in Mold Room, when employees perform servicing/maintenance activities such as but not limited to changing the blade on table saw or changing the sand paper on the disk sander were not trained as authorized employees.  b) On or about 07/30/2019, in the Mold Room, when employees perform servicing/maintenance activities such as but not limited to cleaning the paddles on the Shell line were not trained as authorized employees.   ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED    Monofrax, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1098751, citation number 1, item number 3 and was affirmed as a final order on 01/20/2016, with respect to a workplace located at 1870 New York Avenue, Falconer, NY 14733.

Issued

Nov 1, 2019

Abate by

Nov 19, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(g)(1): Sufficient access and working space was not provided and maintained about all electric equipment (operating at 600 volts, nominal, or less to ground) to permit ready and safe operation and maintenance of such equipment:  a) On or about 07/30/2019, in the maintenance area, electrical panel did not have sufficient space to permit ready and safe operation and maintenance of electrical panel exposing employees to electrical hazards in case of emergency.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED