OSHA Inspection: OHIO MULCH SUPPLY, INC.

Issued

Mar 6, 2025

Abate by

Mar 26, 2025

Penalty

Initial $14,045 · Current $14,045

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(3): Walking-working surfaces are maintained free of hazards such as sharp or protruding objects, loose boards, corrosion, leaks, spills, snow, and ice.  a. On or about September 15, 2024, and at times prior, Production Line 6, had spilled oil from the compressor that created a slip and fall hazard that was not cleaned up on the walking-working surface that employees had to access to start and stop the machinery. As a result, employees were exposed to falls on the same level hazards.

Issued

Mar 6, 2025

Abate by

Mar 26, 2025

Penalty

Initial $14,045 · Current $14,045

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(d)(2): Hazardous conditions on walking-working surfaces are corrected or repaired before an employee uses the walking-working surface again.  If the correction or repair cannot be made immediately, the hazard must be guarded to prevent employees from using the walking-working surface until the hazard is corrected or repaired; and  a. On or about September 9, 2024, and at times prior, Mulch Bagging Production Line 2 had a damaged conveyor belt that employees walked across for access and egress purposes prior to repairs being made. As a result, employees were exposed to falls on same level and fall from elevation hazards.

Issued

Mar 6, 2025

Abate by

Apr 1, 2025

Penalty

Initial $9,362 · Current $9,362

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.138(a): General requirements. Employers shall select and require employees to use appropriate hand protection when employees' hands are exposed to hazards such as those from skin absorption of harmful substances; severe cuts or lacerations; severe abrasions; punctures; chemical burns; thermal burns; and harmful temperature extremes.  a. On or about September 9, 2024, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that there was adequate hand protection against thermal burns when cleaning off the glue on the bag sealer of Production Line 1. As a result, employees were exposed to contact with harmful temperature extremes.  b. On or about September 9, 2024, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that there was adequate hand protection against thermal burns when cleaning off the glue on the bag sealer of Production Line 2. As a result, employees were exposed to contact with harmful temperature extremes.  c. On or about September 9, 2024, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that there was adequate hand protection against thermal burns when cleaning off the glue on the bag sealer of Production Line 4. As a result, employees were exposed to contact with harmful temperature extremes.  d. On or about September 9, 2024, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that there was adequate hand protection against thermal burns when cleaning off the glue on the bag sealer of Production Line 6. As a result, employees were exposed to contact with harmful temperature extremes.

Issued

Mar 6, 2025

Abate by

Mar 26, 2025

Penalty

Initial $11,705 · Current $11,705

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(c)(2): If the workplace contains permit spaces, the employer shall inform exposed employees, by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means, of the existence and location of and the danger posed by the permit spaces.   NOTE: A sign reading DANGER -- PERMIT-REQUIRED CONFINED SPACE, DO NOT ENTER or using other similar language would satisfy the requirement for a sign.  a. On or about September 16, 2024, located in the Production Building, the employer did not inform employees of the existence, location and dangers posed by Hamer hoppers. The space did not have a sign or any other means identifying it as a permit-required confined space.

Issued

Mar 6, 2025

Abate by

Apr 10, 2025

Penalty

Initial $16,385 · Current $16,385

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(4)(ii): The procedures shall clearly and specifically outline the scope, purpose, authorization, rules, and techniques to be utilized for the control of hazardous energy, and the means to enforce compliance including, but not limited to, the following:   a. On or about September 9, 2024, the employer's energy control procedure for the Hamer Fischbein model 2090 - Bagging machine did not include the specific procedural steps for the safe shutdown, isolation and verification of pneumatic and thermal energy sources, the magnitudes of energy associated with the equipment and the specific locations in which to perform shutdown, isolation and verification of each exposing employees to caught-in and thermal burn injuries.

Issued

Mar 6, 2025

Abate by

Mar 26, 2025

Penalty

Initial $16,385 · Current $16,385

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 September 9, 2024, located in the production buildings, the employer did not ensure that periodic inspections of energy control procedures were performed at least annually to ensure employees followed and were provided with LOTO procedures without deficiencies that would protect them from the unexpected start-up of equipment and/or the release of store energy when performing service and maintenance tasks which exposed employees hazards; such as, but not limited to, caught-in, caught-between, struck-by and thermal burn hazards.

Issued

Mar 6, 2025

Abate by

Mar 26, 2025

Penalty

Initial $11,705 · Current $11,705

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:  a. On or about September 9, 2024, and at times prior, located on Mulch Bagging Production Line 2, employees were exposed to machine hazards associated with moving parts, in-going nip points, and thermal hazards when putting belts onto pulleys, cleaning the heater and when removing jams on the Hamer bagging machine. The employer did not implement energy control application steps as LOTO devices were not applied to the electrical disconnect [per the 1910.147(d)(4) requirements]. As a result, the remaining applicable energy control elements, involving dissipation of residual energy [(d)(5)(i)] (time for heater to cool or means to safeguard from contact burns), and verification of isolation [(d)(6)], were not implemented to protect employees from caught-in and thermal hazards.  b. On or about September 9, 2024, and at times prior, located on Mulch Bagging Production Line 4, employees were exposed to machine hazards associated with moving parts, in-going nip points, and thermal hazards when putting belts onto pulleys, cleaning the heater and when removing jams on the Hamer bagging machine. The employer did not implement energy control application steps as LOTO devices were not applied to the electrical disconnect [per the 1910.147(d)(4) requirements]. As a result, the remaining applicable energy control elements, involving dissipation of residual energy [(d)(5)(i)] (time for heater to cool or means to safeguard from contact burns), and verification of isolation [(d)(6)], were not implemented to protect employees from caught-in and thermal hazards.

Issued

Mar 6, 2025

Abate by

Mar 18, 2025

Penalty

Initial $7,022 · Current $7,022

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.242(b): Compressed air used for cleaning. Compressed air shall not be used for cleaning purposes except where reduced to less than 30 p.s.i. and then only with effective chip guarding and personal protective equipment.  a. On or about September 9, 2024, and at times prior, located on Production Line 1, employees utilized compressed air for cleaning the lines that was not reduced down to 30 psi. As a result, employees struck-by and contact with compressed air hazards.   b. On or about September 9, 2024, and at times prior, located on Production Line 2, employees utilized compressed air for cleaning the lines that was not reduced down to 30 psi. As a result, employees struck-by and contact with compressed air hazards.   c. On or about September 9, 2024, and at times prior, located on Production Line 4, employees utilized compressed air for cleaning the lines that was not reduced down to 30 psi. As a result, employees struck-by and contact with compressed air hazards.   d. On or about September 9, 2024, and at times prior, located on Production Line 6, employees utilized compressed air for cleaning the lines that was not reduced down to 30 psi. As a result, employees struck-by and contact with compressed air hazards.

Issued

Mar 6, 2025

Abate by

Mar 26, 2025

Penalty

Initial $32,769 · Current $32,769

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.  a. On or about September 9, 2024, and at times prior, located on Production Line 2, employees performing maintenance and servicing tasks including, but not limited to, removal of plastic from the clamping device, conveyor belt changes, and clearing of jammed bagging material, were not trained on the hazardous energy sources, the type and magnitude of the hazardous energy sources, and the methods and means necessary for isolation and control of the hazardous energy sources. As a result, employees were exposed to caught-in/between, struck-by and struck-against machine servicing hazards.  b. On or about September 9, 2024, and at times prior, located on Production Line 4, employees performing maintenance and servicing tasks including, but not limited to, removal of plastic from the clamping device, conveyor belt changes, and clearing of jammed bagging material, were not trained on the hazardous energy sources, the type and magnitude of the hazardous energy sources, and the methods and means necessary for isolation and control of the hazardous energy sources. As a result, employees were exposed to caught-in/between, struck-by and struck-against machine servicing hazards.  Ohio Mulch Supply, Inc. was previously cited for a Serious violation of its equivalent Occupational Safety and Health Standard 1910.147(c)(7)(i)(B), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1451996, citation number 1, item number 3, and was affirmed as a final order on February 22, 2021, with respect to a workplace located at 1600 Universal Road, Columbus, Ohio 43207.

Issued

Mar 6, 2025

Abate by

Mar 26, 2025

Penalty

Initial $32,769 · Current $32,769

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 September 15, 2024, and at times prior, on Production Line 1, the employer did not ensure that the pinch point between the two connecting conveyors and the ingoing nip-point between the end roller and conveyor belt on the exit end of the Hamer bagging machine conveying the sealed bags to the robot was guarded.  As a result, employees were exposed to caught-in/between hazards.   b. On or about September 15, 2024, and at times prior, on Production Line 2, the employer did not ensure that the Hamer exit conveyors ingoing nip-points between the end rollers and conveyor belts were guarded.  As a result, employees were exposed to caught-in/between hazards.  c. On or about September 9, 2024, and at times prior, located on Production Line 2, employees were exposed to unguarded chains and sprockets that were used in part to rotate conveyor rollers. As a result, employees were exposed to caught-in/between machine hazards.  Ohio Mulch Supply, Inc. was previously cited for an Other-Than-Serious violation of an equivalent Occupational Safety and Health Standard 1910.219(f)(3), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1724869, citation number 1, item number 3, and was affirmed as a final order on July 3, 2024, with respect to a workplace located at 2205 Performance Way, Columbus, Ohio 43207.  Ohio Mulch Supply, Inc. was previously cited for a Serious violation of an equivalent Occupational Safety and Health Standard 1910.147(d), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1724869, citation number 1, item number 1b, and was affirmed as a final order on July 3, 2024, with respect to a workplace located at 2205 Performance Way, Columbus, Ohio 43207.  Ohio Mulch Supply, Inc. was previously cited for a Serious violation of this Occupational Safety and Health Standard 1910.212(a)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1451996, citation number 1, item number 4, and was affirmed as a final order on February 22, 2021, with respect to a workplace located at 1600 Universal Road, Columbus, Ohio 43207.

Issued

Mar 6, 2025

Abate by

Mar 26, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.219(f)(3):Sprockets and chains. All sprocket wheels and chains shall be enclosed unless they are more than seven (7) feet above the floor or platform. Where the drive extends over other machine or working areas, protection against falling shall be provided. This subparagraph does not apply to manually operated sprockets.  a. On or about September 9, 2024, and at times prior, located on Production Line 2, employees were exposed to unguarded chain and sprockets (approximately three feet above floor) that was powered off of a 208-vac electric drive motor that was used in part to rotate additional chains and sprockets for conveyor rollers. As a result, employees were exposed to caught-in/between machine hazards.  Ohio Mulch Supply, Inc. was previously cited for an Other-Than-Serious violation of this Occupational Safety and Health Standard 1910.219(f)(3), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1724869, citation number 1, item number 3, and was affirmed as a final order on July 3, 2024, with respect to a workplace located at 2205 Performance Way, Columbus, Ohio 43207.

Issued

Mar 6, 2025

Abate by

Mar 26, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(5)(ii): Lockout devices and tagout devices shall be singularly identified; shall be the only devices(s) used for controlling energy; shall not be used for other purposes; and shall meet the following requirements:  a. On or about September 9, 2024, and at times prior, on Production Line 1, lockout/tagout red Masterlock locks were utilized for other purposes to lock an employee locker.  b. On or about September 9, 2024, and at times prior, on Production Line 4, lockout/tagout red Masterlock locks were utilized for other purposes to lock an employee locker and a toolbox.