OSHA Inspection: HITACHI ASTEMO AMERICAS, INC.

Issued

May 7, 2026

Abate by

May 19, 2026

Penalty

Initial $11,350 · Current $7,945 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.28(b)(6)(i): (i) Each employee less than 4 feet (1.2 m) above dangerous equipment is protected from falling into or onto the dangerous equipment by a guardrail system or a travel restraint system, unless the equipment is covered or guarded to eliminate the hazard.  On or about December 18, 2025, in the Rod Department on chrome line 3, employees walked over the top of open tanks containing liquids of approximately 153 degrees Fahrenheit and were not protected from slipping into the open tanks when performing maintenance and servicing activities such as, but not limited to, fixing air lines on the carriers.

Issued

May 7, 2026

Abate by

May 19, 2026

Penalty

Initial $11,350 · Current $7,945 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.132(a): Application. Protective equipment, including personal protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices, and protective shields and barriers, shall be provided, used, and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever it is necessary by reason of hazards of processes or environment, chemical hazards, radiological hazards, or mechanical irritants encountered in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation or physical contact.  On or about December 18, 2025, in the Rod department on chrome line 3, the employer did not ensure that employees used personal protective equipment such as but not limited to, rubber boots, when working above the open tanks to prevent chemical and thermal burns.

Issued

May 7, 2026

Abate by

May 19, 2026

Penalty

Initial $11,350 · Current $7,945 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.   On or about December 18, 2025,  in the Rod department on chrome line 3, the employer did not ensure the established energy control procedures were utilized while employees performed servicing and maintenance activities such as, but not limited to, repairing air lines on the carriers.

Issued

May 7, 2026

Abate by

May 19, 2026

Penalty

Initial $11,350 · Current $0 Reduced

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:  On or about December 18, 2025, in the Rod department, employees were exposed to moving equipment while performing maintenance and servicing activities such as, but not limited to, fixing air leaks on the carrier of chrome line 3. 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)], dissipation of residual energy [(d)(5)], and verification of isolation [(d)(6)], were not implemented to protect employees from machine servicing hazards.

Issued

May 7, 2026

Abate by

May 26, 2026

Penalty

Initial $11,350 · Current $7,945 Reduced

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:  On or about December 18, 2025, the employer did not ensure that the established energy control procedures provided clear and specific details for employees to safely and effectively control all hazardous energies when performing servicing and maintenance on machines and equipment on chrome line 3 in the Rod department.

Issued

May 7, 2026

Abate by

May 26, 2026

Penalty

Initial $11,350 · Current $7,945 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.  On or about December 18, 2025, periodic inspections of the energy control procedures for Chrome line 3 were not performed at least annually to ensure the procedures and requirements of the standard were being followed.

Issued

May 7, 2026

Abate by

May 26, 2026

Penalty

Initial $11,350 · Current $7,945 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.  On or about December 18, 2025, the employer did not ensure that employees were trained to recognize the methods and means necessary for energy isolation and control when performing servicing or maintenance on chrome line 3 in the  Rod Department such as, but not limited to, fixing air leaks on the carrier.