OSHA Inspection: ABRASIVE TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Issued

Feb 10, 2022

Penalty

Initial $9,324 · Current $9,324

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.37(b)(2): Each exit must be clearly visible and marked by a sign reading "Exit."  a. On or about October 19, 2021, and at times prior, in the Big Lab Area, the emergency exit was not marked with a sign that was visible and marked as Exit, thereby exposing employees to fire hazards.

Issued

Feb 10, 2022

Abate by

Mar 2, 2022

Penalty

Initial $9,324 · Current $8,578 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.132(d)(1)(i): Select, and have each affected employee use, the types of PPE that will protect the affected employee from the hazards identified in the hazard assessment;  a. On or about October 19, 2021, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that the proper PPE was selected and utilized throughout the facility to ensure employees were protected from hazardous chemicals. As a result, employees were exposed to illnesses and injuries associated with contact with hazardous chemicals such as, but not limited to, acids, nickel solutions, and corrosives.

Issued

Feb 10, 2022

Abate by

Mar 2, 2022

Penalty

Initial $11,188 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.138(a): General requirements. Employers shall select and require employees to use appropriate hand protection when employees' hands are exposed to hazards such as those from skin absorption of harmful substances; severe cuts or lacerations; severe abrasions; punctures; chemical burns; thermal burns; and harmful temperature extremes.  a. On or about October 19, 2021, and at times prior, the employer did not select and require the appropriate hand protection to protect employees working with nickel solutions. As a result, employees were exposed to illnesses and injuries associated with contact with the hazardous nickel solutions during plating operations.

Issued

Feb 10, 2022

Penalty

Initial $13,052 · Current $13,052

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.184(c)(1): Slings that are damaged or defective shall not be used.  a. On or about October 19, 2021, and at times prior, in the Big Lab Area, damaged and defective slings were in use to lift parts to perform plating operations, thereby exposing employees to struck-by hazards.   b. On or about October 11, 2021, in the Big Lab Area, a damaged and defective nylon sling was in use to lift and install an approximately 1000 lb. chemical plating tank, thereby exposing employees to struck-by hazards. As a result, an employee was severely injured and hospitalized when the defective and damaged sling broke, dropping the tank onto the employee.

Issued

Feb 10, 2022

Abate by

Mar 2, 2022

Penalty

Initial $13,052 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.184(d): Inspections. Each day before being used, the sling and all fastenings and attachments shall be inspected for damage or defects by a competent person designated by the employer. Additional inspections shall be performed during sling use, where service conditions warrant. Damaged or defective slings shall be immediately removed from service.  a. On or about October 19, 2021, and at times prior, in the Big Lab Area, the employer did not ensure that slings and attachments were inspected for damage/defects prior to use and did not ensure that damaged/defective slings were immediately removed from service. As a result, employees were exposed to struck-by hazards associated with dropped loads.  b. On or about October 11, 2021, in the Big Lab Area, the employer did not ensure that slings and attachments were inspected for damage/defects prior to use and did not ensure that damaged/defective slings were immediately removed from service. As a result, an employee was severely injured after a sling broke, dropping an approximately 1000 lb. tank on the employee.

Issued

Feb 10, 2022

Penalty

Initial $7,458 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.184(f)(1): Sling use. Employers must use only wire-rope slings that have permanently affixed and legible identification markings as prescribed by the manufacturer, and that indicate the recommended safe working load for the type(s) of hitch(es) used, the angle upon which it is based, and the number of legs if more than one.  a. On or about October 19, 2021, and at times prior, wire-rope slings were in use in the Big Lab Area to lift metal parts to be dipped and coated that did not have permanently affixed identification markings with the capacity and usage instructions. As a result, employees were exposed to being struck-by dropped parts.

Issued

Feb 10, 2022

Penalty

Initial $13,052 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.184(i)(6)(i): Nylon web slings shall not be used where fumes, vapors, sprays, mists or liquids of acids or phenolics are present.  a. On or about October 11, 2021, and at times prior, nylon web slings were utilized in the Big Lab Area with acids. As a result, an employee was severely injured as a result of a nylon web sling, that had been used with acids, breaking and leading to a 1000 lb. tank being dropped on the employee.

Issued

Feb 10, 2022

Penalty

Initial $11,188 · Current $10,815 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.305(g)(1)(iv): Unless specifically permitted otherwise in paragraph (g)(1)(ii) of this section, flexible cords and cables may not be used:   29 CFR  1910.305(g)(1)(iv)(A): As a substitute for the fixed wiring of a structure;  a. On or about October 19, 2021, and at times prior, in the Big Lab area, an extension cord was used in lieu of permanent wiring to power a motor in one of the chemical plating tanks. As a result, employees were exposed to electrical shock and fire hazards.

Issued

Feb 10, 2022

Abate by

Mar 17, 2022

Penalty

Initial $13,052 · Current $12,679 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(h)(1): Employers shall provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new chemical hazard the employees have not previously been trained about is introduced into their work area. Information and training may be designed to cover categories of hazards (e.g., flammability, carcinogenicity) or specific chemicals. Chemical-specific information must always be available through labels and safety data sheets.  a. On or about October 19, 2021, and at times prior, employees were not provided with training and information on the hazardous chemicals associated with the work areas. As a result, employees were exposed to inhalation, absorption, and other injuries and illnesses associated with potential exposure to hazardous chemicals such as, but not limited to, acids, caustics, nickel solutions and/or sodium hydroxide.

Issued

Feb 10, 2022

Abate by

Feb 22, 2022

Penalty

Initial $1,865 · Current $1,492 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1904.29(b)(1): What do I need to do to complete the OSHA 300 Log? You must enter information about your business at the top of the OSHA 300 Log, enter a one or two line description for each recordable injury or illness, and summarize this information on the OSHA 300-A at the end of the year.  Located at 8500 Green Meadows Drive N, Lewis Center, Ohio:  a. On the 2021 OSHA 300 log, the employer did not ensure that Column F included the necessary description of the injury on the log.  1. On October 11, 2021, an employee was injured while installing a chemical plating tank which resulted in days away from work. The employer did not accurately complete column F of the log indicating the description of the injury that occurred.

Issued

Feb 10, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.37(b)(5): Each doorway or passage along an exit access that could be mistaken for an exit must be marked "Not an Exit" or similar designation, or be identified by a sign indicating its actual use (e.g., closet).  a. On or about October 19, 2021, and at times prior, employees in the Big Lab area were exposed to a fire hazard in that each doorway along the exit access was not marked as "Not an Exit" or identified otherwise.