OSHA Inspection: NEW ENGLAND NEWSPAPERS, INC.

Issued

Jan 27, 2023

Abate by

Apr 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $14,063 · Current $14,063

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(4)(i):Procedures were not developed, documented, and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees were engaged in activities covered by this section:   75 South Church St, Pittsfield, MA 01201:  On December 8, 2022 and at times prior, employees who performed preventive maintenance and other servicing tasks on machines, including the dual energy source overhead conveyor machine, did not use the documented energy control procedures.  On November 28, 2022, an employee received a fingertip amputation injury while trying to adjust a stuck belt on an energized conveyor machine.

Issued

Jan 27, 2023

Abate by

Apr 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(4)(ii)(B):Specific procedural steps for shutting down, isolating, blocking and securing machines or equipment to control hazardous energy:   75 South Church Street, Pittsfield MA:  On December 8, 2022 and for many months prior, the energy control procedure for the overhead conveyor machine did not include the pneumatic energy source, exposing employees to uncontrolled energy hazards.

Issued

Jan 27, 2023

Abate by

Apr 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(4)(ii)(D):  Specific requirements for testing a machine or equipment to determine and verify the effectiveness of lockout devices, tagout devices, and other energy control measures:  75 South Church Street, Pittsfield, MA:  On December 8, 2022 and at times prior, the energy control procedures for the conveyor and the stacker machines did not  include any specific requirements for testing the machines to determine and verify the effectiveness of lockout devices.

Issued

Jan 27, 2023

Abate by

Apr 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $14,063 · Current $0 Reduced

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: 75 South Church Street, Pittsfield, MA:  On December 8, 2022, and for many months prior, the employer had not performed periodic inspections of energy control procedures, including, but not limited to the overhead conveyor machine, at least annually, to verify that the procedures were adequate and used properly by employees. *Abatement Notes:  A periodic inspection shall include the following elements:  - Appointment of an authorized employee to inspect each unique procedure for inaccuracies during an actual energy control task  - A review by inspector with each authorized employee, of that employee's responsibilities under each energy control procedure they are authorized to use - Certification that the periodic inspections have been performed by identifying the machines or equipment on which the energy control procedures were being utilized, the dates of the inspections, the employees included in the inspections, and the persons performing the inspections *Abatement notes are intended only to provide clarity regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies. Abatement notes do not create (or diminish) legal obligations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act

Issued

Jan 27, 2023

Abate by

Apr 28, 2023

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:  75 South Church Street, Pittsfield, MA: On December 8, 2022 and at times prior, the employer did not train all employees who set up and adjusted machines on the energy sources and energy isolation procedures.  On November 28, 2022, an untrained employee received a fingertip amputation injury while trying to adjust a belt on the energized overhead conveyor machine.

Issued

Jan 27, 2023

Abate by

Mar 16, 2023

Penalty

Initial $10,046 · Current $5,023 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: 75 South Church Street, Pittsfield, MA:  On December 8, 2022 and at times prior, employees who operated the mail room overhead conveyor were exposed to unguarded nip points of a conveyor belt adjacent to the stacker machine that were less than 7 feet above the floor.

Issued

Jan 27, 2023

Abate by

Mar 16, 2023

Penalty

Initial $10,046 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1904.39(a)(2):Basic Requirement. Within twenty-four (24) hours after the in-patient hospitalization of one or more employees or an employee's amputation or an employee's loss of an eye, as a result of a work-related incident, you must report the in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye to OSHA:    75 South Church Street, Pittsfield, MA:  The employer did not report to OSHA until December 5, 2022 that an employee had received a fingertip amputation injury on November 28, 2022.