OSHA Inspection: HERCULES INTERNATIONAL, INC.

Issued

Nov 17, 2023

Penalty

Initial $6,250 · Current $2,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees operated a lift truck without the use of an operator restraint system.   (a) Production Area/Floor: On or about June 1, 2023, and times prior, an employee was exposed to struck by and crushing injuries while operating a Hyster H50XM Liquid Propane (LP) Forklift without the use of the installed seatbelt.

Issued

Nov 17, 2023

Abate by

Dec 21, 2023

Penalty

Initial $7,813 · Current $7,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees from crushing injuries due to collapse or tip-over of the storage rack system.  (a) Shipping & Receiving, Storage Rack B: On or about June 2, 2023, and times prior, employees were exposed to storage rack system collapse/failure due to damage when working in the shipping/receiving area around the storage racks and when operating forklifts to load and unload material from the storage rack system. There is visible damage to the structural components that affects the stability of the storage rack system with a column post deflection from center of approximately 4 1/2 in. per 10ft. of height and an approximate 45-degree twist.   (b) Shipping & Receiving, Storage Rack C: On or about June 2, 2023, and times prior, employees were exposed to storage rack system collapse/failure due to damage when working in the shipping/receiving area around the storage racks and when operating forklifts to load and unload material from the storage rack system. There is visible damage to the structural components that affects the stability of the storage rack system with a column post deflection from center of approximately 4in. per 10ft. of height.

Issued

Nov 17, 2023

Abate by

Dec 7, 2023

Penalty

Initial $4,687 · Current $3,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): The employer did not develop, implement, and/or maintain at the workplace a written hazard communication program which describes how the criteria specified in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f), (g), and (h) will be met.   (a ) Hercules International, Huntington, WV: On or about June 2, 2023, and times prior, the employer did not develop and/or implement a hazard communication program for employees who work with and around hazardous chemicals, exposing employees to potential health and physical hazards, such as, but not limited to, heat treatment for employees/workers who handle and work with Pin Dip HF, a chemical that may cause allergic skin reactions and the potential to cause asphyxiation and can be fatal if inhaled.

Issued

Nov 17, 2023

Abate by

Nov 24, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.138(a):The employer did not select and require employee(s) to use appropriate hand protection when employees' hands were exposed to hazards such as those from skin absorption of harmful substances; severe cuts or lacerations; severe abrasion; punctures; chemical burns; thermal burns; and harmful temperature extremes.  a) Hercules International, Huntington, WV: On or about June 2, 2023 and times prior; employees used hazardous chemicals such as Pin Dip HF which may cause irritation to the skin.  Employees do not utilize hand protection while handling the chemical.

Issued

Nov 17, 2023

Abate by

Dec 14, 2023

Penalty

Initial $6,250 · Current $4,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.178(l)(1)(i): The employer did not ensure that each powered industrial truck operator is competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely, as demonstrated by the successful completion of the training and evaluation specified in this paragraph (l):  (a) Production Area/Floor: On or about June 1, 2023, and times prior, the employer did not ensure that each employee operating forklifts were properly trained or evaluated, exposing employees to struck-by hazards.

Issued

Nov 17, 2023

Abate by

Dec 14, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.178(l)(4)(iii): An evaluation of each powered industrial truck operator's performance was not being conducted at least once every three years.   (a) Production Area/Floor: On or about June 1, 2023, and times prior, the employer did not ensure employees that operate a forklift were reevaluated at least every three years, exposing employees to struck-by hazards.

Issued

Nov 17, 2023

Abate by

Dec 14, 2023

Penalty

Initial $7,813 · Current $3,500 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.  (a) Ajax Press Area/Upsetter: On or about June 2, 2023, and times prior, the pry bar enclosure area on the ACME upsetter is not guarded to protect employees from movement of the pry bar during upsetter operations, exposing the operator to contusions and fractures.

Issued

Nov 17, 2023

Abate by

Dec 14, 2023

Penalty

Initial $7,813 · Current $7,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.212(a)(3)(iii): Special hand tools for placing and removing material(s) was not provided to permit easy handling of material without the operator placing a hand in the danger zone:   (a) Production Floor/Press Area: On or about June 2, 2023, and times prior, special hand tools for placing and removing materials were not used in a manner that kept the employees' hands away from the pinch points of the Ajax 1300 ton forging press, exposing employees to amputation hazards.   (b) Production Floor/Press Area: On or about May 18, 2023, and times prior, special hand tools for placing and removing materials were not used in a manner that kept the employees' hands away from the pinch points of the Ajax 1300 ton forging press and Erie 1600 ton forging press, exposing employees to amputation hazards.

Issued

Nov 17, 2023

Abate by

Nov 30, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $5,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.218(f)(1)(iii): Die(s) were being changed or maintenance was being performed on mechanical forging press(es) without the ram(s) blocked out.  (a) Production Floor/Press Area: On or about June 2, 2023, and times prior, blocks were not used to secure the ram of the Ajax 1300 ton forging press during die bolt tightening and die residue cleaning tasks, exposing employees to amputation hazards.  (b) Production Floor/Press Area: On or about May 18, 2023, and times prior, blocks were not used to secure the ram of the Erie 1600 ton forging press during die bolt tightening and die residue cleaning tasks, exposing employees to amputation hazards.

Issued

Nov 17, 2023

Abate by

Nov 30, 2023

Penalty

Initial $4,687 · Current $2,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.242(b):  Compressed air used for cleaning purposes was not reduced to less than 30psi.  (a) Production Floor/Heat Treatment Area: On or about June 2, 2023, and times prior, compressed air measured at approximately 101.6psi, was used to clean dust from clothing and equipment.

Issued

Nov 17, 2023

Abate by

Nov 30, 2023

Penalty

Initial $7,813 · Current $4,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1904.39(a)(2): The employer did not report within 24-hours a work-related incident resulting in in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or the loss of an eye.  (a) Hercules International, Inc., Huntington, WV: On May 18, 2023, an employee amputated his right thumb while operating an Erie 1600-ton forging press causing injuries that required in-patient hospitalization. The amputation and/or the subsequent in-patient hospitalization was not reported to OSHA by the employer.