OSHA Inspection: COMPLETE FILTER MEDIA, LLC

Issued

Feb 11, 2021

Abate by

May 10, 2021

Penalty

Initial $12,288 · Current $8,602 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.   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.  a.  On or before November 20, 2020,  at the bonding line location, the employer failed to develop, document and utilize specific lockout/tagout procedures including, but not limited to the FEHRER AG, K12, 3.8, Serial Number 120 machine, as a result employees were exposed to caught-in hazards while performing the reset task and/or other machine servicing activities.  On or about  November 12, 2020,  an employee was injured as a consequence when their hand was caught-in between the rollers to the FEHRER AG, K12, 3.8, Serial Number 120 machine.

Issued

Feb 11, 2021

Abate by

May 10, 2021

Penalty

Initial $12,288 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(7)(i):  The employer shall provide training to ensure that the purpose and function of the energy control program are understood by employees and that the knowledge and skills required for the safe application, usage, and removal of the energy controls are acquired by employees. The training shall include the following:  29 CFR  1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A): Each authorized employee shall 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.  On or about  November 12, 2020, the employer did not provide training to ensure the function and purpose of the energy control procedures (lockout/tagout, LOTO) were understood and that the skills were acquired by the employees to safely reset the FEHRER AG, K12, 3.8, Serial Number 120.  Accordingly the employer exposed employees to caught-in and amputation hazards by not providing training to authorized employees who performed machine servicing without applying the methods and means necessary to control and isolate the source of energy.

Issued

Feb 11, 2021

Abate by

Mar 4, 2021

Penalty

Initial $12,288 · Current $8,602 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(d):  Application of control. The established procedures for the application of energy control (the lockout or tagout procedures) shall cover the following elements and actions and shall be done in the following sequence:  a.  On or about  November 12, 2020, the employer did not ensure employees were protected when they attempted to feed the polyester material into the roller of the FEHRER AG, K12, 3.8, Serial Number 120.  The employer failed to implement energy control application steps as the machine was not shut down or turned off the entire time to perform the servicing work [per the 1910.147(d)(2) requirements].   As a result the remaining applicable energy control elements involving machine isolation [(d)(3)], LOTO device application[(d)(4)], dissipation of residual energy [(d)(5)(i)], and verification of isolation [(d)(6)], were not implemented to protect employees from machine servicing hazards.  An employee sustained a fracture and amputation to their right hand as a result.