OSHA Inspection: PERFORMANCE PALLET CORP.

Issued

Apr 13, 2022

Penalty

Initial $13,052 · Current $13,052

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(c)(1):  The employer shall evaluate the workplace to determine if any spaces are permit-required confined spaces.  NOTE: Proper application of the decision flow chart in Appendix A to section 1910.146 would facilitate compliance with this requirement.  a)  On or about October 19, 2021, and October 25, 2021, at an establishment located at 112 Mainline Drive in Seymour, Wisconsin, at Loading Dock 13,  the employer did not perform a permit-required confined space evaluation prior to allowing employees to enter the dock pit during service and maintenance work on the dock leveler equipment.  Employees were exposed to crushing hazards working under the raised dock plate.  b)  On or about October 25, 2021, at an establishment located at 112 Mainline Drive in Seymour, Wisconsin, at Loading Dock 15, the employer did not perform a permit-required confined space evaluation prior to allowing employees to enter the dock pit during service and maintenance work on the dock leveler equipment.  Employees were exposed to crushing hazards working under the raised dock plate.

Issued

Apr 13, 2022

Abate by

May 18, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(c)(2):  If the workplace contains permit spaces, the employer shall inform exposed employees, by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means, of the existence and location of and the danger posed by the permit spaces.   At an establishment located at 112 Mainline Drive in Seymour, Wisconsin, the employer did not inform employees of the permit-required confined spaces in the workplace including the loading dock pits by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means.   NOTE: A sign reading DANGER -- PERMIT-REQUIRED CONFINED SPACE, DO NOT ENTER or using other similar language would satisfy the requirement for a sign.

Issued

Apr 13, 2022

Abate by

May 18, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(c)(4):  Permit-required confined spaces.  If the employer decides that its employees will enter permit spaces, the employer shall develop and implement a written permit space program that complies with this section. The written program shall be available for inspection by employees and their authorized representatives.  On or about October 19, 2021, and October 25, 2021, at an establishment located at 112 Mainline Drive in Seymour, Wisconsin, employees were assigned service and maintenance work inside loading dock pits (permit-required confined spaces) for the dock leveler equipment.  Employees worked under the dock plates removing debris, removing two air bag assemblies, and installing one air bag assembly.  The employer did not develop and implement a permit-required confined space entry program that ensured compliance with all of the applicable elements under 1910.146(d) such as, but not limited to: a.     Procedures to prevent unauthorized entry. b.     Procedures to identify and evaluate the hazards of permit spaces. c.     Procedures necessary for safe permit space entry operations (applicable conditions for entry, providing entrants or their representatives with the opportunity to observe monitoring or testing of permit spaces, ventilating the permit space as necessary to eliminate or control atmospheric hazards, protection from external hazards, and verifying that conditions are acceptable for entry throughout duration of entry). d.     Procedures for providing testing and monitoring equipment and rescue and entry equipment. e.     Procedures for evaluating permit space conditions when entry operations are conducted (testing and monitoring). f.      Procedures for summoning rescue and emergency services, for rescuing entrants from permit spaces, for providing necessary emergency services to rescued employees, and for preventing unauthorized personnel from attempting a rescue. g.     Procedures for preparing, issuing, using, and canceling entry permits. h.     Procedures for reviewing and revising entry operations. i.      Procedures for reviewing and revising the permit space program.

Issued

Apr 13, 2022

Abate by

May 18, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(d)(10): Permit-required confined spaces.  Under the permit space program required by paragraph (c)(4) of this section, the employer shall develop and implement a system for the preparation, issuance, use, and cancellation of entry permits as required by this section.   At an establishment located at 112 Mainline Drive in Seymour, Wisconsin, the employer did not develop and implement a system for the preparation, issuance, use, and cancellation of permit-required confined space entry permits prior to allowing employees to enter loading dock pits during service and maintenance work on dock leveler equipment.

Issued

Apr 13, 2022

Abate by

May 18, 2022

Penalty

Initial $13,052 · Current $13,052

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(d)(3):  Permit-required confined spaces.  Under the permit space program required by paragraph (c)(4) of this section, the employer shall develop and implement the means, procedures, and practices necessary for safe permit space entry operations.  At an establishment located at 112 Mainline Drive in Seymour, Wisconsin, the employer did not develop and implement procedures for safe permit space entry prior to allowing employees to enter loading dock pits for service and maintenance work on dock leveler equipment.

Issued

Apr 13, 2022

Abate by

May 18, 2022

Penalty

Initial $13,052 · Current $13,052

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(e)(1): Permit-required confined spaces.  Before entry is authorized, the employer shall document the completion of measures required by paragraph (d)(3) of this section by preparing an entry permit.   a) On or about October 19, 2021, at an establishment located at 112 Mainline Drive in Seymour, Wisconsin, the employer did not complete permit-required confined space entry permits prior to allowing employees to enter Loading Dock 13 during service and maintenance work on dock leveler equipment.  b) On or about October 19, 2021, at an establishment located at 112 Mainline Drive in Seymour, Wisconsin, the employer did not complete permit-required confined space entry permits prior to allowing employees to enter Loading Dock 15 during service and maintenance work on dock leveler equipment.  c) On or about October 25, 2021, at an establishment located at 112 Mainline Drive in Seymour, Wisconsin, the employer did not complete permit-required confined space entry permits prior to allowing employees to enter Loading Dock 13 during service and maintenance work on dock leveler equipment.  NOTE: Appendix D to section 1910.146 presents examples of permits whose elements are considered to comply with the requirements of this section.

Issued

Apr 13, 2022

Abate by

May 18, 2022

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) did not cover the actions listed in and was not done in sequence as required by 29 CFR 1910.147(d)(1)-(6).   a)  On or about October 19, 2021, employees were exposed to crushing hazards associated with stored energy while engaged in servicing and maintenance work activities on Loading Dock 13, dock leveler equipment.  The employer did not ensure that employees implemented energy control application steps prior to allowing them to work under a raised dock plate to remove debris from the dock pit and remove the air bag assembly.  The hinged dock plate was propped open using a 4x4x48 inches wooden post.  The dock plate's stored energy had not been rendered safe prior to the employees engaging in the servicing and maintenance activities.  b)  On or about October 19, 2021, employees were exposed to potential caught-in hazards associated with performing dock leveler equipment servicing and maintenance work activities from inside the Loading Dock 15 pit.  The employer did not ensure that employees implemented energy control application steps prior to allowing them to work inside the pit and under the raised dock plate to remove debris from the dock pit, remove damaged air bag assembly, and install replacement air bag assembly.  The machine was not deenergized prior to the employee engaging in the servicing/maintenance activity.    c)  On or about October 25, 2021, an employee was exposed to crushing hazards associated with stored energy while engaged in servicing and maintenance work activities on Loading Dock 13, dock leveler equipment.  The employer did not ensure that employees implemented energy control application steps prior to allowing them to work under a raised dock plate to remove debris from the dock pit and prepare to install the air bag assembly.  The hinged dock plate was propped open using a 4x4x48 inches wooden post when the post unexpectedly fell releasing the plate which struck an employee down and against the top surface of the pit's front wall.  The dock plate's stored energy had not been rendered safe prior to the employees engaging in the servicing/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 13, 2022

Abate by

May 18, 2022

Penalty

Initial $13,052 · Current $13,052

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(g)(1): Permit-required confined spaces.  The employer shall provide training so that all employees whose work is regulated by this section acquire the understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary for the safe performance of the duties assigned under this section.   At an establishment located at 112 Mainline Drive in Seymour, Wisconsin, the employer did not provide the required permit-required confined space safety training to employees prior to allowing the employees to enter loading dock pits during service and maintenance work on dock leveler equipment.

Issued

Apr 13, 2022

Abate by

May 11, 2022

Penalty

Initial $13,052 · Current $7,792 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.212(a)(1):  Types of guarding.  One or more methods of machine guarding shall be 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. Examples of guarding methods are-barrier guards, two-hand tripping devices, electronic safety devices, etc.  a)  On or about January 5, 2022, employees operating the Viking Engineering & Development Inc. Champion #4 pallet machine located in the assembly department were  exposed to struck by and pinch point hazards created by the unguarded portion of the traveling carriage.  b)  On or about January 5, 2022, employees operating the Viking Engineering & Development Inc. Champion #1 pallet machine located in the assembly department were  exposed to struck by and pinch point hazards created by the unguarded portion of the traveling carriage.  c)  On or about January 5, 2022, employees operating the Automated Machine Systems De-stacking Machine located in the repair line were exposed to pinch point and crushed by hazards created by the unguarded conveyor mechanism's vertical motion to retrieve pallets from the stack.   d)  On or about January 5, 2022, employees operating the Trim Saw #2 located on the Repair line were exposed to ingoing nip points and entanglement hazards from unguarded chain and sprockets on the chain conveyor.  e)  On or about January 5, 2022, employees operating the Trim Saw #2 located on the Repair line were exposed to ingoing nip points from the #7 conveyor unguarded belt and pulley.

Issued

Apr 13, 2022

Abate by

May 11, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.212(a)(2):General requirements for machine guards. Guards shall be affixed to the machine where possible and secured elsewhere if for any reason attachment to the machine is not possible. The guard shall be such that it does not offer an accident hazard in itself.  On or about January 5, 2022, employees operating the Viking Engineering & Development Turbo Model 505 Machine #535M pallet machine located in the assembly department were exposed to pinch points and ingoing nip points created by guards that were not affixed and secured to the machine and could be easily defeated.