OSHA Inspection: SOAP STONE SAWMILL LLC

Issued

Nov 20, 2020

Abate by

Dec 28, 2020

Penalty

Initial $3,856 · Current $3,856

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(a): Protective equipment was not used when necessary whenever hazards capable of causing injury and impairment were encountered:  (a) Timber Mat Jigs, Lower, Western Side of 60 x 120 Building - When wood timbers used to make a timber mat varied in length from one another by more than 1 inch, employees used a chain saw to cut off the extra length, exposing the employees to the hazard of contact with the cutters and moving chain of the saw.  The employer did not require the employees to wear chain-saw-resistant leg protection (chaps) and protective footwear, and the employees did not wear chain-saw-resistant leg protection (chaps) and some employees did not wear protective footwear, on or about August 24, 2020.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and state employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Nov 20, 2020

Abate by

Dec 28, 2020

Penalty

Initial $3,084 · Current $3,084

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.132(d)(1): The employer did not assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE):  (a) Soap Stone Sawmill, 332 Little Britain Church Road, Peach Bottom, Pennsylvania - The employer did not assess the workplace to determine whether hazards existed which necessitated the use of personal protective equipment.  Employees operated machinery and equipment, including, but not limited to, a chain saw and a custom-made A-frame hydraulic-powered horizontal drill rig while building timber mats.  The chain saw and custom-made A-frame hydraulic-powered horizontal drill rig generated flying wood particles that could contact the eyes, on or about August 24, 2020.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and state employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Nov 20, 2020

Abate by

Dec 28, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.133(a)(3): The employer did not ensure that each affected employee who wore prescription lenses while engaged in operations that involved eye hazards wore eye protection that incorporated the prescription in its design, or wore eye protection that could be worn over the prescription lenses without disturbing the proper position of the prescription lenses or the protective lenses:   (a) Soap Stone Sawmill, 332 Little Britain Church Road, Peach Bottom, Pennsylvania - Employees operated machinery and equipment, including, but not limited to, a chain saw and a custom-made A-frame hydraulic-powered horizontal drill rig while building timber mats.  The chain saw and custom-made A-frame hydraulic-powered horizontal drill rig generated flying wood particles, and employees who wore prescription glasses wore regular prescription glasses rather than safety eye protection that incorporated the prescription in its design or safety eye protection that could be worn over the prescription lenses, exposing these employees' eyes to a struck-by hazard, on or about August 24, 2020.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and state employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Nov 20, 2020

Abate by

Dec 28, 2020

Penalty

Initial $3,856 · Current $3,856

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) Soap Stone Sawmill, 332 Little Britain Church Road, Peach Bottom, Pennsylvania - Employees did servicing and maintenance activities on machinery and equipment, including, but not limited to, the auger and custom-made A-frame hydraulic-powered horizontal drill rig in the lower, west side of the 60 x 120 building, and the employer did not develop and implement an energy control program, consisting of machine specific energy control procedures, group lockout/tagout, and periodic inspections, exposing employees to hazards, including but not limited to, getting caught-in and struck-by moving machine parts, on or about August 24, 2020.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and state employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Nov 20, 2020

Abate by

Dec 28, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(4)(i): Procedures were not developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees were engaged in activities covered by this section:  (a) Soap Stone Sawmill, 332 Little Britain Church Road, Peach Bottom, Pennsylvania - Employees did servicing and maintenance activities on machinery and equipment, including, but not limited to, the auger and custom-made A-frame hydraulic-powered horizontal drill rig in the lower, west side of the 60 x 120 building, and the employer did not develop, document, and implement machine specific energy control procedures, exposing employees to hazards, including but not limited to, getting caught-in and struck-by moving machine parts, on or about August 24, 2020.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and state employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Nov 20, 2020

Abate by

Dec 28, 2020

Penalty

Initial $3,084 · Current $3,084

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) Timber Mat Jigs, Lower, Western Side of 60 x 120 Building - Employees used a custom-made A-frame hydraulic-powered horizontal drill rig, to drill holes across the width of the wood timbers that make up the timber mats.  This drill rig did not have machine guarding to protect the operator from pinch points created by wheels on the carriage that moved the drill bit into and out of the timbers, on or about August 24, 2020.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and state employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Nov 20, 2020

Abate by

Dec 28, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.213(r)(4): Suitable guards were not provided to reduce to a minimum the hazard due to the point of operation of custom-made A-frame hydraulic-powered horizontal drill rig:  (a) Timber Mat Jigs, Lower, Western Side of 60 x 120 Building - Employees worked from a steel frame platform, about 24 to 30 inches above the ground, to assemble 16-foot long timber mats.  In about the middle of the platform, a floor level U-trough auger ran north to south for the length of the platform.  This auger did not have suitable guarding in that the rebar grating that covered the auger at the north end was not secured against accidental displacement, which allowed the rebar grating to move, exposing the auger and thereby employees to the hazard of stepping into the auger, on or about August 24, 2020.  (b) Timber Mat Jigs, Lower, Western Side of 60 x 120 Building - Employees used a custom-made A-frame hydraulic-powered horizontal drill rig, to drill holes across the width of the wood timbers that make up the timber mats.  This drill rig did not have machine guarding to protect the operator from the rotating drill bit, on or about August 24, 2020.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and state employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Nov 20, 2020

Abate by

Dec 28, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.219(f)(3): Sprocket wheels and chains which were seven (7) feet or less above floors or platforms were not enclosed:  (a) Timber Mat Jigs, Lower, Western Side of 60 x 120 Building - Employees used a custom-made A-frame hydraulic-powered horizontal drill rig, to drill holes across the width of the wood timbers that make up the timber mats.  This drill rig did not have machine guarding to protect the operator from the floor level chain and sprockets, on or about August 24, 2020.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and state employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Nov 20, 2020

Abate by

Dec 17, 2020

Penalty

Initial $3,084 · Current $3,084

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.303(b)(1):Electrical equipment was not free from recognized hazards that were likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees:  (a) Timber Mat Jigs, Lower, Western Side of 60 x 120 Building - Employees used a custom-made A-frame hydraulic-powered horizontal drill rig, to drill holes across the width of the wood timbers that make up the timber mats.  The electrical control box for operating the drill rig did not have all of the controls labeled, exposing employees to hazards such as struck-by or caught-in, on or about August 24, 2020.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and state employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.