OSHA Inspection: ALLIED TUBE AND CONDUIT CORP.

Issued

Apr 16, 2021

Abate by

Jun 7, 2021

Penalty

Initial $8,290 · Current $8,290

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.   Energy control procedures and/or equivalent protections were not required to be utilized by employees when performing minor adjustments during normal production on the Yoder mills (Mills 1, 2, 3) exposing employees to inrunning nip points.

Issued

Apr 16, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

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)  Employees authorized to perform set up, servicing, and maintenance on the Yoder Mill machines were not trained as an authorized employee under the control of hazardous energy.  (b)  Employees authorized to perform set up, servicing, and maintenance on the GEM Tool machine were not trained as an authorized employee under the control of hazardous energy.

Issued

Apr 16, 2021

Abate by

Jun 7, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:  On or about November 30, 2020, employees were exposed to machine hazards associated with moving parts and entanglement hazards when they engaged in servicing and maintenance activities on the #1 Yoder Mill machine (M-20).  The employer did not ensure that energy control application steps to control the electrical energy sources were implemented prior to allowing employees to removing scrap scarfing on the #1 Yoder mill machine.  The machine was not shut down or turned off prior to engaging in this servicing and maintenance activity.    As a result, the remaining applicable energy control elements, involving machine isolation [1910.147(d)(3)], lockout/tagout device application [1910.147(d)(4)], dissipation of residual energy [1910.147(d)(5)(i)], and verification of isolation [1910.147(d)(6)] were not implemented to protect employees from machine servicing hazards."

Issued

Apr 16, 2021

Abate by

Jun 7, 2021

Penalty

Initial $8,290 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.212(a)(3)(ii):  The point of operation of machines whose operation exposes an employee to injury, shall be guarded. The guarding device shall be in conformity with any appropriate standards therefor, or, in the absence of applicable specific standards, shall be so designed and constructed as to prevent the operator from having any part of his body in the danger zone during the operating cycle.  (a)  Yoder Roll Former #1 had an unguarded inrunning nip point at the weld head exposing employees to caught in hazards.  (b)  Yoder Roll Former #3 had an unguarded inrunning nip point at the weld head exposing employees to caught in hazards.

Issued

Apr 16, 2021

Penalty

Initial $8,290 · Current $8,290

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(6)(i):  The employer shall conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure at least annually to ensure that the procedure and the requirements of this standard are being followed.  Employees performing activities under the control of hazardous energy did not have a periodic inspection conducted at least annually to ensure  the steps in the energy control procedure are being followed and the employees involved knew their responsibilities under the procedure exposing employees to inadvertent/accidental restart of equipment.

Issued

Apr 16, 2021

Abate by

May 14, 2021

Penalty

Initial $13,653 · Current $13,653

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.178(a)(4): Modifications and additions which affect capacity and safe operation shall not be performed by the customer or user without manufacturers prior written approval. Capacity, operation, and maintenance instruction plates, tags, or decals shall be changed accordingly.  On or about March 26, 2021, prior written approval and plates indicating the capacity, operation, and maintenance instructions were not provided when utilizing a Vestil Fork-Mounted Hoisting Hook on the Yale propane forklift exposing employees to struck by hazards.

Issued

Apr 16, 2021

Abate by

May 14, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.178(m)(2):  No person shall be allowed to stand or pass under the elevated portion of any truck, whether loaded or empty.  On or about March 26, 2021, employees were under the forks of the Yale electric forklift in order to push and maneuver the coil onto the Uncoiler of Mill 1 exposing employees to struck by hazards.

Issued

Apr 16, 2021

Abate by

May 14, 2021

Penalty

Initial $6,632 · Current $6,632

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.215(a)(2):Guard design. The safety guard shall cover the spindle end, nut, and flange projections. The safety guard shall be mounted so as to maintain proper alignment with the wheel, and the strength of the fastenings shall exceed the strength of the guard, except:  In the Maintenance Department, the GEM Tools abrasive grinder did not have a guard over the spindle end, nut, and flange projects exposing employees to entanglement hazards.

Issued

Apr 16, 2021

Abate by

May 14, 2021

Penalty

Initial $6,632 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.219(d)(1): Guarding. Pulleys, any parts of which are seven (7) feet or less from the floor or working platform, shall be guarded in accordance with the standards specified in paragraphs (m) and (o) of this section. Pulleys serving as balance wheels (e.g., punch presses) on which the point of contact between belt and pulley is more than six feet six inches (6 ft. 6 in.) from the floor or platform may be guarded with a disk covering the spokes.  In the Maintenance Department, the GEM Tools abrasive grinder did not have a guard over the inclined pulley  used to power the holder exposing employees to entanglement hazards.

Issued

Apr 16, 2021

Abate by

May 14, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.219(e)(3)(i): Vertical and inclined belts shall be enclosed by a guard conforming to standards in paragraphs (m) and (o) of this section.  In the Maintenance Department, the GEM Tools abrasive grinder did not have a guard over the inclined belt  used to power the holder exposing employees to entanglement hazards.

Issued

Apr 16, 2021

Abate by

May 14, 2021

Penalty

Initial $8,290 · Current $6,632 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.242(b):  Compressed air used for cleaning. Compressed air shall not be used for cleaning purposes except where reduced to less than 30 p.s.i. and then only with effective chip guarding and personal protective equipment.  In the Roll Room, the air nozzle used to blow off parts from the parts washer was not reduced to less than 30 p.s.i. exposing employees to an air embolism, hearing damage, and eye injuries.

Issued

Apr 16, 2021

Penalty

Initial $6,632 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.305(a)(2)(i)(B):  Temporary electrical power and lighting installations of 600 volts, nominal, or less may be used only as follows: for a period not to exceed 90 days for Christmas decorative lighting, carnivals, and similar purposes;  At the Rework Station, an extension cord leading to the rework station was used as permanent wiring for energizing an outlet.