OSHA Inspection: PALLET DISTRIBUTORS INC

Issued

Mar 6, 2025

Abate by

Mar 18, 2025

Penalty

Initial $16,385 · Current $8,193 Reduced

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 January 14, 2025, at the worksite location at 8213 County Road 245, Holmesville, Ohio 44633, the employer failed to ensure that periodic inspections for the the energy control procedures for the Brewco Debarker was conducted at least annually to ensure that the procedures required by the standard were being followed.  Employees performed unjamming tasks at the debarker where the employees were not inspected to the tasks for the hazardous energy control program procedures at least annually.  Failing to conduct the periodic inspections exposed the employees to struck-by hazards at log kicker #2 as a result.

Issued

Mar 6, 2025

Abate by

Mar 18, 2025

Penalty

Initial $163,859 · Current $81,930 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.   a.  On or about January 14, 2025 at the worksite location at 8213 County Road 245, Holmesville, Ohio 44633, the employer failed to ensure that employees performing unjamming activities at the infeed trough line utilized the lockout/tagout procedure for the Brewco Debarker.  The condition exposed the employees to struck-by hazards at log kicker #2 as a result.  b.  On or about December 11, 2024 at the worksite location at 8213 County Road 245, Holmesville, Ohio 44633, the employer failed to ensure that employees performing unjamming activities at the infeed trough line utilized the lockout/tagout procedure for the Brewco Debarker.  The condition exposed the employees to struck-by hazards at log kicker #2 as a result.  Pallet Distributors Inc dba ePallet Inc 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 1767380, citation number 2, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on December 02, 2024, with respect to a workplace located at 10501 Burt Street, Byesville, Ohio 43723.  Pallet Distributors Inc dba ePallet Inc 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 Inc dba ePallet Inc 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.  This citation was amended pursuant to the settlement agreement as citation number 1, item number 2a, 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

Mar 6, 2025

Abate by

Mar 18, 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.  On or about January 14, 2025, employees were exposed to rolling logs and the hydraulic log kicker on the conveyor line for the Brewco Debarker when they performed the servicing activity of unjamming logs at the infeed trough line for the Brewco Debarker line.  The employer failed to implement energy control application steps concluding machine shut down to perform the servicing work.  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 the employees from the Brewco Debarker machine servicing hazards.   b.  On or about December 11, 2024, employees were exposed to rolling logs and the hydraulic log kicker on the conveyor line for the Brewco Debarker when they performed servicing activity of unjamming logs at the infeed trough line for the Brewco Debarker line.  The employer failed to implement energy control application steps concluding machine shut down to perform the servicing work.  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 the employees from the Brewco Debarker machine servicing hazards.   Pallet Distributors Inc dba ePallet Inc 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 1767380, citation number 2, item number 2 and was affirmed as a final order on December 02, 2024, with respect to a workplace located at 10501 Burt Street, Byesville, Ohio 43723.  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 2.  This citation as amended pursuant to the settlement agreement as citation number 1, item number 2b, 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

Mar 6, 2025

Abate by

Mar 18, 2025

Penalty

Initial $32,769 · Current $16,384 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.  On or about January 14, 2025, the employer did not ensure that employees were sufficiently trained to recognize the methods and means necessary for energy isolation and control when they serviced or maintenance on the Brewco Debarker line, such as but not limited to unjamming log activities at the infeed trough line and vicinity of the log kicker #2.  Pallet Distributors Inc dba ePallet Inc was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health standard 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1767380, citation number 1, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on December 02, 2024, with respect to a workplace located at 10501 Burt Street, Byesville, Ohio 43723.