OSHA Inspection: WELSPUN USA, INC

Issued

Feb 4, 2025

Abate by

Feb 14, 2025

Penalty

Initial $4,839 · Current $2,903 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.132(d)(1):The employer shall assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).  a. Welspun USA, Inc, located at 3091 Gantz Road, Grove City, OH 43123: On or about October 8, 2024,  the employer did not perform, document and certify the workplace hazard assessment required by this part as it relates to the use of use of compressed air for cleaning purposes in the workplace in order to identify the hazards associated with flying particles and material which would necessitate the use of personal protective equipment, such eye and/or face protection.

Issued

Feb 4, 2025

Abate by

Feb 14, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.133(a)(1): The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation.  a. Welspun USA, Inc, located at 3091 Gantz Road, Grove City, OH 43123: On or about October 8, 2024, the employer did not require the use of personal protective equipment, such as, but not limited to, safety glasses, to protect against struck-by hazards to the eyes from foreign-objects while using compressed air for cleaning

Issued

Feb 4, 2025

Abate by

Feb 24, 2025

Penalty

Initial $11,585 · Current $6,951 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. Welspun USA, Inc, located at 3091 Gantz Road, Grove City, OH 43123: On or about October 8, 2024, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that energy control procedures were developed, documented and utilized when performing servicing/maintenance covered activities on equipment.  Production Operations/Maintenance employees perform regular service/maintenance activities, including, but not limited to, cleaning and clearing of jams on the Garnett Line, without controlling for the unexpected release of hazardous energy.  The condition exposes employees to potential hazards associated with the unexpected equipment startup or release of stored energy.  b. Welspun USA, Inc, located at 3091 Gantz Road, Grove City, OH 43123: On or about October 8, 2024, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that energy control procedures were developed, documented and utilized when performing servicing/maintenance covered activities on equipment.  Production Operations/Maintenance employees perform regular service/maintenance activities, including, but not limited to, cleaning and clearing of jams on the Carding Machine, without controlling for the unexpected release of hazardous energy.  The condition exposes employees to potential hazards associated with the unexpected equipment startup or release of stored energy.

Issued

Feb 4, 2025

Abate by

Feb 24, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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) was not done in sequence as required by 29 CFR 1910.147(d)(1) through (d)(6):  a. Welspun USA, Inc, located at 3091 Gantz Road, Grove City, OH 43123: On or about October 8, 2024, and at times prior, employees were exposed to struck-by hazards associated with moving parts while performing service and maintenance work on the Garnett Line. 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)] and verification of isolation [(d)(6)], were not implemented to protect employees.  b. Welspun USA, Inc, located at 3091 Gantz Road, Grove City, OH 43123: On or about October 8, 2024, and at times prior, employees were exposed to struck-by hazards associated with moving parts while performing service and maintenance work on the Carding Machine. 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)] and verification of isolation [(d)(6)], were not implemented to protect employees.

Issued

Feb 4, 2025

Abate by

Feb 24, 2025

Penalty

Initial $11,585 · Current $6,951 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.   a. Welspun USA, Inc, located at 3091 Gantz Road, Grove City, OH 43123: On or about October 8, 2024, and at times prior, the employer failed to provide training on the control of hazardous energy for employees that performed servicing/maintenance activities on equipment, such as, but not limited to, the Garnett Line and Carding Machine. Such activities included cleaning and unjamming. Employees were not trained to recognize, control and isolate energy sources specific to equipment used in the facility which exposed them to caught-in and struck-by hazards.

Issued

Feb 4, 2025

Penalty

Initial $11,585 · Current $6,951 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. Welspun USA, Inc, located at 3091 Gantz Road, Grove City, OH 43123: On or about September 30, 2024, and at times prior, employees were exposed to caught-in hazards between the moving parts of the Garnett Line at the North Traverse Table and the installed barrier guarding when performing quality assurance checks and adjustments to the material passing through toward the stuffer machine. A 30 inch opening between the barrier guarding and the side wall of the production line allowed employees to access the hazardous area of the equipment.  b.  Welspun USA, Inc, located at 3091 Gantz Road, Grove City, OH 43123: On or about September 30, 2024, and at times prior, employees were exposed to caught-in hazards between the moving parts of the Garnett Line at the South Traverse Table and the installed barrier guarding when performing quality assurance checks and adjustments to the material passing through toward the stuffer machine. A 30 inch opening between the barrier guarding and the side wall of the production line allowed employees to access the hazardous area of the equipment.