OSHA Inspection: FLAMBEAU, INC.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Oct 20, 2021

Penalty

Initial $30,037 · Current $19,524 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.   On or about May 12, 2021, the employer failed to develop and implement a full site specific written program for the control of hazardous energy for equipment and machinery to include but not limited to  the Sterling blow mold presses (14 total) that have energy sources to include but are not limited to mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic.  NOTE:  The employer was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or it's equivalent standard which was contained in OSHA Inspection #1408053, citation 2, item 1, which was affirmed as final order on May 7, 2020, with respect to the same workplace location as detailed in this inspection.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Oct 20, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(d):The application of energy control (lockout or tagout) actions were not done in the following sequence:   (1) prepare for shutdown, (2) shut down machine or equipment, (3) physically locate and operate energy isolating devices in such a manner as to isolate the machine or equipment from the energy source, (4) affix lockout or tagout devices to each energy isolating device by authorized employee, (5) relieve, disconnect, restrain or otherwise render safe all stored or residual energy, (6) verify that isolation and deenergization of the machine or equipment have been accomplished:  On or about May 12, 2021, the employer failed to ensure that all of the energy sources to Press #3 was locked and tagged out prior to an employee entering through the gated double door in order to access the inside of the mold to retrieve a part that was stuck.  The sequential order of the steps was not followed prior to the employee performing this task.  The press was not locked and tagged out.   NOTE:  The employer was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or it's equivalent standard which was contained in OSHA Inspection #1408053, citation 1, item 3, which was affirmed as final order on May 7, 2020, with respect to the same workplace location as detailed in this inspection.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Nov 4, 2021

Penalty

Initial $30,037 · Current $19,524 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:   On or about May 12, 2021, the employer failed to ensure that a periodic inspection of their written lock out tag out control of hazardous energy procedures was conducted to ensure that is was up to date and effective.  The employer had an outdated and non site specific partially written program in place that had not been updated or reviewed since 2018.  NOTE:  The employer was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or it's equivalent standard which was contained in OSHA Inspection #1408053, citation 2, item 2, which was affirmed as final order on May 7, 2020, with respect to the same workplace location as detailed in this inspection.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Nov 4, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(6)(i)(B): The periodic inspection of the energy control procedure was not conducted to correct any deviations or inadequacies identified:  On or about May 12, 2021, the employer failed to ensure that a periodic inspection of their written lock out tag out control of hazardous energy procedures was conducted to ensure that any deviations or inadequacies were identified and corrected.  The employer had an outdated written program which was not site specific and all inclusive  which was dated 2018 and had not been reviewed or updated since.  NOTE:  The employer was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or it's equivalent standard which was contained in OSHA Inspection #1408053, citation 2, item 2, which was affirmed as final order on May 7, 2020, with respect to the same workplace location as detailed in this inspection.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Nov 4, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(7)(iii)(B): Additional retraining was not provided whenever a periodic inspection under 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(6) revealed that there were deviations from or inadequacies in the employee's knowledge or use of the energy control procedures:   On or about May 12, 2021, the employer failed to ensure that a periodic inspection of their written lock out tag out control of hazardous energy procedures was conducted to ensure that is was up to date and effective.  The employer had an outdated and not site specific partial written program in place that had not been updated or reviewed since 2018.  NOTE:  The employer was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or it's equivalent standard which was contained in OSHA Inspection #1408053, citation 2, item 2, which was affirmed as final order on May 7, 2020, with respect to the same workplace location as detailed in this inspection.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Jun 30, 2022

Penalty

Initial $30,037 · Current $19,524 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:   On or about May 12, 2021, the employer failed to ensure that effective guarding was in place on the Blow Mold Press Machines, including the Sterling Press Molds #1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7,  9, 10 11, 12, 13 and 17.  Each press has varying degrees of lack of effective guarding, such as but not limited to,  short light curtains, no light curtain, no bump door strip for the main front mechanical gate doors and double redundancy measures.  Since the initial inspection in 2019 (inspection #1408053), the employer has only fully modified press #3, while the rest, except for press #8 and 10 which have had the safety mats removed and short light curtains installed just inside the mechanical gate doors of the presses.  These measures do not prevent the employees from being able to reach or step over the light curtain field in order to access the press and dies inside.  Employees are exposed to possible struck-by and/or caught in between hazards  due to this.  NOTE:  The employer was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or it's equivalent standard which was contained in OSHA Inspection #1408053, citation 1, item 5, which was affirmed as final order on May 7, 2020, with respect to the same workplace location as detailed in this inspection.