OSHA Inspection: THE NUWAY TOBACCO COMPANY

Issued

Feb 6, 2023

Abate by

Mar 24, 2023

Penalty

Initial $10,046 · Current $7,032 Reduced

Hazardous substances M110

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22 (a)(1): All places of employment, passageways, storerooms, and service rooms shall be kept clean and orderly, and in a sanitary condition:  Base Web Deck Area:  On or about August 09, 2022, combustible dust powder had accumulated onto horizontal surfaces from employees handling and pouring 50-lb bags of ultrafine starch powders, including Tic Guar Gum and Cellulose Ether, into Y-Tron1 and Y-Tron 2 hoppers. The dust was measured at depths between 1/32" and 0.5," on horizontal surfaces including, but not limited to, ductwork, metal bar joists, electrical panels, and process equipment. Dust samples collected from these surfaces had an explosion severity of 1.46 (Class II Division 1) and a Kst value of 17.63 bar*meter/sec.

Issued

Feb 6, 2023

Abate by

Mar 24, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances M110

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(2): The floor of each workroom was not maintained in a clean condition.  Base Web Deck Area:  On or about August 09, 2022, the employer did not ensure that the workroom floor was kept in a clean condition as combustible dust powder was allowed to accumulate on the floor, potentially exposing employees to burn injuries.

Issued

Feb 6, 2023

Abate by

Mar 24, 2023

Penalty

Initial $12,055 · Current $8,439 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(a): Protective equipment was not used, when necessary, whenever hazards capable of causing injury and impairment were encountered:  a) Wet End:  On or about August 09, 2022, employees were exposed to burn injuries while working near steam pipes in Zone 1 without wearing thermal-resistant protective equipment.   b) Dry End:  On or about August 09, 2022, employees were exposed to burn injuries while unjamming sheets at the Dry End drums without wearing thermal-resistant protective equipment.

Issued

Feb 6, 2023

Abate by

Mar 24, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.136(a): The employer did not ensure that each affected employee used protective footwear when working in areas where there was a danger of foot injuries due to falling or rolling objects, or objects piercing the sole, and where such employee's feet were exposed to electrical hazards:  Facility-wide:  On or about August 09, 2022, employees handling sharp and heavy objects were not provided with protective footwear to protect against foot injuries.

Issued

Feb 6, 2023

Abate by

Mar 24, 2023

Penalty

Initial $8,036 · Current $5,625 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(c)(2)(vii): Approved power-operated industrial trucks designated as DY, EE, or EX were not used in atmospheres in which combustible dust was present.  Base Web Floor Area:  On or about August 09, 2022, a PDCM (Model 25130) E-rated Lift Truck was not designated for use in combustible dust atmospheres when it was used by employees to transport pallets of 50-lb bags of gum and cellulose ether powder shipments from the Base Web Floor to the Base Web Deck area located directly above.

Issued

Feb 6, 2023

Abate by

Mar 24, 2023

Penalty

Initial $10,046 · Current $7,032 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(b)(2): Listed or labeled electrical equipment was not used or installed in accordance with instructions included in the listing or labeling:   Base Web Deck Area:  On or about August 9, 2022, the following electrical equipment used during dumping, mixing, collecting, and cleaning operations was not intrinsically safe and approved for the hazardous Class II Division 1 combustible dust location:  a) Y-Tron 1 and Y-Tron 2 hopper motors, Weg W22 NEMA motor (Model TE1BFOXON), that displayed a Class I Zone 2 rating. b) Dust collector motor, Baldor Reliance Super-E Motor CEM3613T. c) Unapproved Channel Lock portable vacuum cleaner (Model No. VBV1210).  d) Receptacles and attachment plugs were not identified for the Class II Division 1 location.

Issued

Feb 6, 2023

Abate by

Mar 24, 2023

Penalty

Initial $10,046 · Current $7,032 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(b)(7)(iii):29 CFR 1910.303(b)(7)(iii): Internal parts of electrical equipment, including busbars, wiring terminals, insulators, and other surfaces, were damaged or contaminated by foreign materials such as paint, plaster, cleaners, abrasives, or corrosive residues:  Base Web Deck Area:  On or about August 09, 2022, the internal parts of electrical equipment in Base Web were exposed to damage or contamination from combustible dust that migrated into interior structures that were not dusttight during the following instances:  a) Class I Division 2 Weg W22 NEMA Inverter Duty Motors that energized Y-Tron 1 and Y-Tron 2 Hoppers were not dusttight in a manner that excluded dust from its internal parts. b) Dust accumulated on a transient voltage surge suppressor receptacle near the Y-Tron 2 hopper, allowing its internal parts to become contaminated with combustible dust. A 120 V industrial fan and a flexible cord connected to a 120 V portable vacuum were both plugged into this receptacle. c) Dust accumulated inside the wiring terminals of a partly enclosed receptacle connected to the transient voltage surge suppressor near the Y-Tron 2 hopper. d) Dust accumulated inside the wiring terminals of a partly enclosed receptacle mounted on top of the Cowles Tank 1 Control Panel. e) Control panels for Y-Tron hoppers and Celatom Mix Tank transfers were not dusttight. This allowed combustible dust to accumulate on the surface of the panel and migrate into its internal parts.

Issued

Feb 6, 2023

Abate by

Mar 24, 2023

Penalty

Initial $6,026 · Current $4,218 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3)(ii): Employee training did not include the physical and health hazards including combustible dust as well as hazards not otherwise classified in the workplace:   a) Base Web Area: On or about August 09, 2022, the employer did not provide training and information to employees about the physical and health hazards in the workplace that included combustible dust. Employees handled starch powders such as guar gum and cellulose ether, which generated combustible dust concentrations during processing tasks when there was a potential to create an ignitable mixture with dust that had a Kst value of 17.63 in a Class II Division 1 area.   b) Dry and Wet End - Line 1 through 4: On or about August 09, 2022, the employer did not provide training and information to employees about the physical and health hazards in the workplace, which included combustible dust. Employees who processed tobacco sheets from Line 1 through Line 4 at the Dry and Wet End were exposed to burn injuries while working near steam pipes and dryer drum rollers.

Issued

Feb 6, 2023

Abate by

Mar 24, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(a)(6): The employer did not ensure that all nameplates or markings were maintained in a legible condition:  Base Web Floor:  On or about August 09, 2022, the nameplate for the PDCM Series Lift Truck (Model No. 21525130), that was frequently used in the Base Web Floor area, was significantly damaged to the point that it prevented the markings from being legible to the operator of the vehicle. Employees transported palleted 50-lb bags of combustible powders that were used as binding ingredients that is added to the equipment stored on the Base Web Deck located directly above Base Web Floor. The data tag had a caked-on coating of the powder material used during the binding process, which deteriorated the tag and obstructed the visibility of the necessary markings that included the rating and load capacity of the truck.