OSHA Inspection: LAKESHORE FOREST PRODUCTS INC.

Issued

2025-01-31 00:00:00

Abate by

2025-04-15 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4729.00 · Current $2360.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(1):  Energy control program. The employer shall establish a program consisting of energy control procedures, employee training and periodic inspections to ensure that before any employee performs any servicing or maintenance on a machine or equipment where the unexpected energizing, startup or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the machine or equipment shall be isolated from the energy source and rendered inoperative.  On or about December 1, 2024, to January 2, 2025, at an establishment located at 107 Mill Avenue in Francis Creek, Wisconsin; the employer did not develop an energy control program to include energy control procedures, employee training, and periodic inspections for employees performing servicing and maintenance work such as changing blades, changing rollers on the log deck, and unjamming machines such as, but not limited to, the head saw, edger, and de-barker.

Issued

2025-01-31 00:00:00

Abate by

2025-04-15 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

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.  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.  At an establishment located at 107 Mill Avenue in Francis Creek, Wisconsin:  a) On or about January 2, 2025, employees were exposed to machine hazards associated with moving parts when they engaged in blade changes on the head saw. The employer did not ensure that employees implemented energy control application steps or equivalent protective measures prior to allowing them to change the band saw blade. The machine was not deenergized prior to the employees engaging in the servicing / maintenance activity.  b) On or about December 16, 2024, to December 20, 2024, employees were exposed to machine hazards associated with moving parts when they engaged in blade changes on the edger. The employer did not ensure that employees implemented energy control application steps or equivalent protective measures prior to allowing them to change the two circular saw blades. The machine was not deenergized prior to the employees engaging in the servicing / maintenance activity.  c) On or about December 12, 2024, employees were exposed to machine hazards associated with moving parts when they engaged in changing out the hourglass rollers on the debarker log deck. The employer did not ensure that employees implemented energy control application steps or equivalent protective measures prior to allowing them to change the rollers.

Issued

2025-01-31 00:00:00

Abate by

2025-04-15 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

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 designations and topics identified in 1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A)-1910.147(c)(7)(i)(C).   The employer did not provide training to production employees engaged in servicing and maintenance work such as, but not limited to, changing dies, cleaning inside machines, and changing blades. The employer did not train employees on the knowledge and skills as defined in 1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A)-1910.147(c)(7)(i)(C) of this standard.   At an establishment located at 107 Mill Avenue in Francis Creek, Wisconsin; the employer did not train employees to have the knowledge and skills to safely apply energy isolation, when to apply energy isolation techniques, and the removal of such energy controls, on equipment such as, but not limited to, the head saw, the powered log deck behind the debarker, and the edger saw. Employees were exposed to caught-in and amputation hazards created by the energized machines during tasks such as, but not limited to, changing blades, changing powered hourglass rollers, and unjamming machines.

Issued

2025-01-31 00:00:00

Abate by

2025-04-15 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3783.00 · Current $1880.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1)(i): Unprotected sides and edges. Except as provided elsewhere in this section, the employer must ensure that each employee on a walking-working surface with an unprotected side or edge that is 4 feet (1.2 m) or more above a lower level is protected from falling by one or more of the following: (A) Guardrail systems; (B) Safety net systems; or (C) Personal fall protections systems, such as personal fall arrest, travel restraint, or positioning systems.  On or about January 2, 2025, at an establishment located at 107 Mill Avenue in Francis Creek, Wisconsin; on the log deck behind the debarker, the employer did not ensure that employees walking on the log deck and platform behind the debarker to clean up bark/ wood chips and grease the debarker, were protected from falling approximately 6 to 8 feet to ground surface.

Issued

2025-01-31 00:00:00

Abate by

2025-04-15 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.265(c)(18)(i): Standards. Construction, operation, and maintenance of conveyors shall be in accordance with American National Standard B20.1-1957, which is incorporated by reference as specified in Sec. 1910.6.   On or about January 2, 2025, at an establishment located at 107 Mill Avenue in Francis Creek, Wisconsin; the area between the outfeed end of the shaker conveyor and the infeed of the transfer conveyor was not guarded to prevent employees from using it as a walkway, exposing employees to tripping and struck-by hazards created by the boards shooting between the two conveyors from the head saw.

Issued

2025-01-31 00:00:00

Abate by

2025-04-15 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.265(e)(1)(v): Log breakdown and related machinery and facilities-Log carriages and carriage runways-Barriers and warning signs. A barrier shall be provided to prevent employees from entering the space necessary for travel of the carriage, with headblocks fully receded, for the full length and extreme ends of carriage runways. Warning signs shall be posted at possible entry points to this area.  On or about January 2, 2025, at an establishment located at 107 Mill Avenue in Francis Creek, Wisconsin; the employer did not provide a barrier to prevent employees from entering the space necessary for travel of the head saw and the down stream shaker conveyor, exposing employees to caught-between hazards created by the sliding carriage of the head saw and the stationary shaker conveyor.

Issued

2025-01-31 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3783.00 · Current $1880.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.265(f)(3)(ii)(a): Dry kilns and facilities-Escape doors. If operating procedures require access to kilns, kilns shall be provided with escape doors that operate easily from the inside, swing in the direction of exit, and are located in or near the main door at the end of the passageway.   On or about November 1, 2024, at an establishment located at 107 Mill Avenue in Francis Creek, Wisconsin, inside of the big kiln; employees were exposed heat hazards created by the escape door that did not have a handle on the inside of the kiln. The handle on the inside of the door was broken off, making it difficult to operate in the event that it closed behind an employee who entered the kiln while it was operating at approximately 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Issued

2025-01-31 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3783.00 · Current $1880.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(b)(8)(i): Mounting and cooling of equipment. Electric equipment shall be firmly secured to the surface on which it is mounted. Note to paragraph (b)(8)(i) of this section: Wooden plugs driven into holes in masonry, concrete, plaster, or similar materials are not considered secure means of fastening electric equipment.   On or about November 18, 2024, at an establishment located at 107 Mill Avenue in Francis Creek, Wisconsin, in the room outside of the small kilns on the east wall; employees were exposed to electrical shock hazards created by an unsecure snap switch and metal electrical box with bare conductors exposed. The box and switch were hanging out of a hole in the wall by the electrical wire that was providing power to the switch.

Issued

2025-01-31 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.303(g)(2)(i): Except as�elsewhere required�or permitted�by this�standard, live�parts of�electric equipment�operating at�50 volts�or more�shall be�guarded against�accidental contact by�use of�approved cabinets�or other�forms of�approved enclosures�or by�any of�the following�means:   On or about November 18, 2024, at an establishment located at 107 Mill Avenue in Francis Creek, Wisconsin, in the room outside of the small kilns on the east wall; employees were exposed to electrical shock hazards created by an unsecure snap switch and metal electrical box with bare conductors exposed. The box and switch were hanging out of a hole in the wall by the electrical wire that was providing power to the switch.

Issued

2025-01-31 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(c)(4): Switches -- Faceplates for flush-mounted snap switches. Snap switches mounted in boxes shall have faceplates installed so as to completely cover the opening and seat against the finished surface.  On or about November 18, 2024, at an establishment located at 107 Mill Avenue in Francis Creek, Wisconsin, in the room outside of the small kilns on the east wall; employees were exposed to electrical shock hazards created by an approximate 1-inch hole in the damaged faceplate on the snap switch for the lights at the entry to the room.

Issued

2025-01-31 00:00:00

Abate by

2025-04-15 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(q)(7): Industrial trucks shall be examined before being placed in service, and shall not be placed in service if the examination shows any condition adversely affecting the safety of the vehicle. Such examination shall be made at least daily. Where industrial trucks are used on a round-the-clock basis, they shall be examined after each shift. Defects when found shall be immediately reported and corrected.  On or about January 2, 2025, at an establishment located at 107 Mill Avenue in Francis Creek, Wisconsin; the employer did not ensure that each of the forklifts were examined after each shift to identify defects in the vehicle such as, but not limited to, malfunctioning horns.