OSHA Inspection: PALLET DISTRIBUTORS INC.

Issued

Nov 6, 2024

Abate by

Nov 19, 2024

Penalty

Initial $11,409 · Current $6,845 Reduced

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.  On or about August 6, 2024, the employer did not ensure that employees were trained to recognize the methods and means necessary for energy isolation and control when performing servicing or maintenance on the Cleereman Debarker system, such as but not limited to clearing jams at the infeed trough.

Issued

Nov 6, 2024

Abate by

Nov 19, 2024

Penalty

Initial $57,044 · Current $34,226 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.  On or about August 6, 2024, an employee did not utilize the established procedure for the control of hazardous energy for the Cleereman Debarker system while unjamming a log at the infeed trough.   Pallet Distributors DBA ePallet was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health standard 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1589265, citation number 2, item number 1. This citation as amended pursuant to the settlement agreement as citation number 2, item number 1, and was affirmed as a final order on September 14, 2022, with respect to a workplace located at 10143 Copperhead Road NW, Sugarcreek, Ohio 44681.  Pallet Distributors DBA ePallet was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health standard 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1558518, citation number 1, item number 2 and was affirmed as a final order on February 7, 2022, with respect to a workplace located at 10143 Copperhead Road NW, Sugarcreek, Ohio 44681.

Issued

Nov 6, 2024

Abate by

Nov 19, 2024

Penalty

Initial $57,044 · Current $34,226 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 accordance with the (d)(1) through (d)(6):  On or about October 6, 2024, employees were exposed to moving parts of the kickers and rolling logs on the log conveyor while performing maintenance and servicing activities such as but not limited to unjamming a log at the infeed trough of the Cleereman Debarker system. The employer failed to implement energy control application steps as the machine was not shut down or turned off to perform the servicing work [per the 1910.147 (d)(2) requirements]. As a result, the remaining applicable energy control elements, involving machine isolation [(d)(3)], LOTO device application [(d)(4)], dissipation of residual energy [(d)(5)], and verification of isolation [(d)(6)], were not implemented to protect employees from machine servicing hazards.  Pallet Distributors DBA ePallet was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health standard 29 CFR 1910.147(d), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1589265, citation number 2, item number 2. This citation as amended pursuant to the settlement agreement as citation number 2, item number 2, and was affirmed as a final order on September 14, 2022, with respect to a workplace located at 10143 Copperhead Road NW, Sugarcreek, Ohio 44681.  Pallet Distributors DBA ePallet was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health standard 29 CFR 1910.147(d), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1558518, citation number 1, item number 3 and was affirmed as a final order on February 7, 2022, with respect to a workplace located at 10143 Copperhead Road NW, Sugarcreek, Ohio 44681