OSHA Inspection: VISTECH MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS, LLC

Issued

Mar 24, 2023

Abate by

Apr 13, 2023

Penalty

Initial $15,469 · Current $10,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.25(b)(7): Standard stairs are used to provide access from one walking-working surface to another when operations necessitate regular and routine travel between levels, including access to operating platforms for equipment;    Exception:  Winding stairways may be used on tanks and similar round structures when the diameter of the tank or structure is at least 5 feet (1.5 m).  a) On or about January 17, 2023, the employer did not provide employees working on the DOA machine in the fiber line access, such as but not limited to stairs and platforms, to the incline of the machine to clear fiber jams and perform cleaning duties, in that employees were jumping on and off the incline, measuring approximately 3 foot 6 inches at the lowest point.

Issued

Mar 24, 2023

Abate by

Apr 13, 2023

Penalty

Initial $15,469 · Current $10,000 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.  Note: Exception: The employer need not document the required procedure for a particular machine or equipment, when all of the following elements exist: (1) The machine or equipment has no potential for stored or residual energy or reaccumulation of stored energy after shut down which could endanger employees; (2) the machine or equipment has a single energy source which can be readily identified and isolated; (3) the isolation and locking out of that energy source will completely deenergize and deactivate the machine or equipment; (4) the machine or equipment is isolated from that energy source and locked out during servicing or maintenance; (5) a single lockout device will achieve a locker-out condition; (6) the lockout device is under the exclusive control of the authorized employee performing the servicing or maintenance; (7) the servicing or maintenance does not create hazards for other employees; and (8) the employer, in utilizing this exception, has had no accidents involving the unexpected activation or reenergization of the machine or equipment during servicing or maintenance.  a) On or about January 17, 2023, the employer's lockout procedures were not adequately developed, documented and utilized by employees exposed to a rotating drum on the licker-in drum while performing cleaning duties  on the DOA machine of the Fiber line in that the lockout tag out procedures to isolate the kinetic energy caused by the licker-in drum slowing down when the DOA machine was opened was not developed, documented and utilized.

Issued

Mar 24, 2023

Abate by

Apr 13, 2023

Penalty

Initial $15,469 · 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.  a) On or about January 17, 2023, the employer did not ensure that a periodic inspection of the energy control procedures for the DOA machine on the Fiber Line had been completed at least annually for machine specific procedures such as but not limited to; the DOA Machine, type S number 737-05-341.

Issued

Mar 24, 2023

Abate by

Apr 13, 2023

Penalty

Initial $15,469 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(7)(i): The employer shall provide training to ensure that the purpose and function of the energy control program are understood by employees and that the knowledge and skills required for the safe application, usage, and removal of the energy controls are acquired by employees. The training shall include the following:   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.  a) On or about January 17, 2023, the employer had not provided adequate training for each authorized employee, such as but not limited to the line leads and operator personnel who utilized the lockout procedures for the DOA machine on the fiber line.

Issued

Mar 24, 2023

Abate by

Apr 13, 2023

Penalty

Initial $15,469 · Current $0 Reduced

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) shall cover the following elements and actions and shall be done in the following sequence:  (d)(3) Machine or equipment isolation. All energy isolating devices that are needed to control the energy to the machine or equipment shall be physically located and operated in such a manner as to isolate the machine or equipment from the energy source(s). (d)(4) Lockout or tagout device application. (d)(4)(i) Lockout or tagout devices shall be affixed to each energy isolating device by authorized employees. 1910.147(d)(5) Stored energy. 1910.147(d)(6) Verification of isolation. Prior to starting work on machines or equipment that have been locked out or tagged out, the authorized employee shall verify that isolation and deenergization of the machine or equipment have been accomplished.  a) On or about January 17, 2023, the employer did not ensure that employees were utilizing the lockout tag out procedures to clear jams on the DOA machine in that employees were climbing on top of the feed incline to remove jammed fibers while the incline was moving.    b) On or about January 17, 2023, located on the DOA machine in the Fiber line, employees were exposed to machine hazards associated with rotating rollers while performing cleaning duties inside the licker-in drum roller area of the DOA machine.  The employer failed to implement energy control application steps as the DOA machine was not shut down or turned off to perform cleaning work.  As a result, the electrical disconnect was not isolated as required by  [(d)(3)], LOTO devices were not applied by the 4 to 5 employees performing the changeover and/or cleaning as required by [(d)(4)], the kinetic energy, caused by the continuous movement of the licker-in drum was not dissipated of the residual energy as required by [(d)(5)(i), and verification of isolation [(d)(6)], were not implemented to protect employees from machine hazards.

Issued

Mar 24, 2023

Penalty

Initial $30,938 · Current $15,469 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 16, 2023, the employer did not ensure that employees were not able to by-pass the safety interlock located inside of the panel for the DOA Sheet Forming Machine on the Fiber Line licker-in drum after the DOA sheet forming machine had been opened while the drum continued to move exposing employees hands the moving roller while they were inside of the machine to remove excess fiber materials from the licker-in drum.  The Vistech Manufacturing Solutions LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1444273, citation number 1, item number 2 and was affirmed as a final order on January 14, 2020, with respect to a workplace located at 4274 Thunderbird Lane, Fairfield OH 45014.