OSHA Inspection: WORCESTER ENVELOPE COMPANY

Issued

Nov 13, 2025

Abate by

Jan 2, 2026

Penalty

Initial $148,963 · Current $74,481 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(4)(i): Procedures were not developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees were engaged in activities covered by this section:  22 Millbury St, Auburn, MA:     Instance a -  On and before May 23, 2025, and continuing through August 6, 2025, the employer had not required employees to utilize energy control procedures or alternative measures of protection when they unjammed and cleaned envelope machines during normal production operations.  On May 23, 2025, an employee had multiple fingers amputated while cleaning out an envelope machine during normal production operations without utilizing energy control procedures or alternative measures of protection.  On August 4, 2025, an employee received a finger injury while adjusting spacing between envelopes without utilizing energy control procedures or alternative measures of protection.     Instance b -  On and before May 23, 2025, and continuing through at least September 24, 2025, the employer had not required employees to utilize energy control procedures when they set up envelope machines in order to run different types of envelopes that were outside of normal production operations.  Instance c -  On and before May 23, 2025, and continuing through at least September 24, 2025, the employer had not required employees to utilize energy control procedures when they cleaned out envelope machines during end-of-week cleaning operations that were outside of normal production operations.

Issued

Nov 13, 2025

Abate by

Jan 2, 2026

Penalty

Initial $14,895 · Current $14,895

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(4)(ii)(B): The energy control procedures did not clearly and specifically outline the steps for shutting down, isolating, blocking and securing machines or equipment to control hazardous energy:  22 Millbury St, Auburn, MA:  On and before May 23, 2025, and continuing through mid June 2025, the energy control procedure for the six Winkler Dunnebier 627 RS machines did not include steps to control all electrical energy, did not direct which gear belts of the many possible must be removed, and did not specify which of the many air valves must be isolated and locked.

Issued

Nov 13, 2025

Abate by

Jan 2, 2026

Penalty

Initial $14,895 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(4)(ii)(D): The energy control procedures did not clearly and specifically outline the requirements for testing a machine or equipment to determine and verify the effectiveness of lockout devices, tagout devices, and other energy control measures:  22 Millbury St, Auburn, MA:  On and before May 23, 2025, and continuing into early June 2025, the energy control procedure for the six Winkler Dunnebier 627 RS machines allowed for exposure to hazardous energy, as it directed removal of a gear belt in step 4, before the pushing of buttons to verify energy isolation in step 8.

Issued

Nov 13, 2025

Abate by

Jan 2, 2026

Penalty

Initial $14,895 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(6)(i): The employer did not 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:  22 Millbury St, Auburn, MA:  On and before May 29, 2025, the employer performed only one periodic inspection of one machine-specific energy control procedure, each year, for the entire facility.  The periodic inspection for the energy control procedure for the six Winkler Dunnebier 627 RS machines was last accomplished on March 20, 2024.  *Abatement Notes:  A periodic inspection shall include the following elements:  - Employer appoints authorized employees to inspect each unique procedure annually for deviations and inadequacies during an energy control task  - A review by inspector with each authorized employee, of that employee's responsibilities under each energy control procedure they are authorized to use - Certification that the periodic inspections had been performed by identifying the machines or equipment on which the energy control procedures were being utilized, the dates of the inspections, the employees included in the inspections, and the persons performing the inspections *Abatement notes are intended only to provide clarity regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies. Abatement notes do not create (or diminish) legal obligations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

Issued

Nov 13, 2025

Abate by

Jan 2, 2026

Penalty

Initial $14,895 · Current $14,895

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A):  Each authorized employee did not 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:  22 Millbury St, Auburn, MA:  On and before May 23, 2025, and continuing through at least October 23, 2025, machine adjusters and set-up operators, who performed machine set-up, unjamming, and cleaning of Winkler and Dunnebier 627 RS machines, where uncontrolled energy could cause injury, were not trained on the methods and means necessary for energy isolation and control.  On August 4, 2025, an adjuster employee received a finger injury while adjusting spacing between envelopes, and had not received training on the energy control procedures needed for performing that task.

Issued

Nov 13, 2025

Abate by

Jan 2, 2026

Penalty

Initial $14,895 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(7)(i)(B):  Each affected employee was not instructed in the purpose and use of the energy control procedure:  22 Millbury St, Auburn, MA:  On and before May 23, 2025, and continuing through at least October 2, 2025, Winkler and Dunnebier 627 RS operator employees were not provided effective training to ensure they understood the tasks that would require them to utilize energy control procedures.  On May 23, 2025, an operator employee had multiple fingers amputated while cleaning out an envelope machine, without having been trained that an energy control procedure was required to be used for that cleaning task.