OSHA Inspection: MFA INC.

Issued

2013-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2014-01-10 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7000.00 · Current $7000.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(c)(1): Open-sided floors and/or platforms four feet or more above adjacent floor or ground level were not guarded with standard railings (or equivalent) and toeboards: Note:  Toeboards are only required when persons can pass, there is moving equipment or there is equipment with which falling materials could create a hazard.    (a) On August 28, 2013, at the plant facility located at 303 W Olive St, Aurora, MO., The employer did not ensure that the open-sided floors/platforms four feet or more above lower levels were guarded and equipped with toeboards in the following instances:       (1) The over head catwalk areas on the first floor near the entry to the Belt Manlift area - no guardrail system..          (2) The open sided floor area above the upside travel of the Belt Manlift area - no guardrail system.            (3) The open sided floor area adjacent to the fixed ladder near the mixing room - no guardrail system.             (4) The open sided floor area in the basement which was missing - the top rail of the rail system.       (5) The open sided catwalk area on the top floor near the Leg Machine was missing - the mid rail of the rail system.  Employees were exposed to serious fall hazards and struck-by injuries from not having guardrail and toeboard systems installed.    Abatement certification is required for this item; use the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET for this purpose.

Issued

2013-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2014-01-10 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7000.00 · Current $7000.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.27(b)(1)(ii): The distance between rungs exceeded 12 inches and were not uniform throughout the ladder:    (a) On August 28, 2013, near the mixing room on the first floor of the facility located at 303 W Olive St, Aurora, MO., The employer did not ensure that the fixed ladder used to access the upper level was provided with rungs that were spaced only 12 inches apart. The ladder rung spacing was measured 15 inches in places and could contribute to a slip and fall hazard due to that spacing.    Abatement certification is required for this item; use the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET for this purpose.

Issued

2013-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2014-10-15 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7000.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.27(c)(4): The employer did not ensure that the distance from the centerline of rungs, cleats, or steps to the nearest permanent object in back of the ladder was not less than 7 inches:    (a) On August 28, 2013, at the plant facility located at 303 W Olive St, Aurora, MO., The employer did not ensure that the ladder rung clearance space of at least 7 inches was established in the following instances:        (1) The Belt Manlift emergency egress ladder that spanned the entire height of the facility - Clearance of 3 inches.          (2) The Fixed Ladder between the 1st floor and the first basement level - Clearance of 5 inches.    Employees were exposed to serious fall hazards from the ladders due to insufficient clearance space to position their feet on the ladder rungs when climbing.     Abatement certification is required for this item; use the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET for this purpose.

Issued

2013-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2014-01-10 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7000.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.27(d)(3): The side rails of through or side-step ladder extensions did not extend 3 1/2 feet above paraphets and landings.    (a) On August 28, 2013, in top floor area (Pent House) of the facility located at 303 W Olive St, Aurora, MO., The employees were exposed to serious fall hazards, in that there were no side rails on the through ladder that extended 3-1/2 feet above the upper walking working area.      Abatement certification is required for this item; use the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET for this purpose.

Issued

2013-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2014-10-15 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7000.00 · Current $7000.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.36(b)(1): Two exit routes. At least two exit routes was not available in the workplace to permit prompt evacuation of employees and other building occupants during an emergency, except as allowed in paragraph (b)(3) of this section. The exit routes must be located as far away as practical from each other so that if one exit route is blocked by fire or smoke, employees can evacuate using the second exit route.     (a) On August 28, 2013, at the plant facility located at 303 W Olive St, Aurora, MO., The employer did not ensure that the two emergency exits routes provided were located far enough away from each other to prevent employee entrapment in the event of a blockage by fire or smoke, in that both exit means (the manlift and manlift emergency ladder) were connected together in close proximity to each other and were the only means of escape from the upper level work floors.       Abatement certification is required for this item; use the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET for this purpose.

Issued

2013-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2014-10-15 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7000.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(a)(3): Exit route(s) were not kept free and unobstructed:    (a) On August 28, 2013, at the plant facility located at 303 W Olive St, Aurora, MO., The employer did not ensure that the emergency egress ladder attached to the Belt Manlift was unobstructed, in that each of the four upper floor ladder passageways were blocked or the opening for the ladder did not provide a wide enough space for employees to safely climb through.           Abatement certification is required for this item; use the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET for this purpose.

Issued

2013-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2014-03-03 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7000.00 · Current $7000.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(b)(1): Each exit route was not adequately lighted so that employees with normal vision could see along the exit route:      (a) On August 28, 2013, at the plant facility located at 303 W Olive St, Aurora, MO., The employer did not ensure that the exit routes were adequately lighted, in that there was no means of backup or emergency lighting to provide safe vision along the exit routes. Employees were exposed to serious injuries in the event of a power outage requiring quick and immediate evacuation of the facility.       Abatement certification is required for this item; use the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET for this purpose.

Issued

2013-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2014-03-03 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7000.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(b)(2): Each exit was not clearly visible and marked by a sign reading "Exit":    (a) On August 28, 2013, at the plant facility located at 303 W Olive St, Aurora, MO., The employer did not ensure that all the exits were clearly and visibility marked with an "Exit" sign.       Abatement certification is required for this item; use the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET for this purpose.

Issued

2013-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2014-03-03 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(b)(4): Signs were not posted along the exit access indicating the direction of travel to the nearest exit and exit discharge when the direction of travel to the exit or exit discharge was not immediately apparent:    (a) On August 28, 2013, at the plant facility located at 303 W Olive St, Aurora, MO., The employer did not ensure that all exit access paths were posted with signs indicating the direction of travel to the nearest exit and exit discharge. This was apparent in the access area above main floor where employees had to clear out the holding bin tanks. No signs or proper lighting was provided.        Abatement certification is required for this item; use the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET for this purpose.

Issued

2013-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2014-08-01 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7000.00 · Current $3500.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(e): Employer had not installed and maintained an operable employee alarm system that had a distinctive signal to warn employees of fire or other emergencies:      (a) On August 28, 2013, at the plant facility located at 303 W Olive St, Aurora, MO., Employees were exposed to serious injuires or death from fire or other emergencies, in that there was no distinctive alarm system installed to warn employees in all areas of the facility of an impending fire or other emergency.       Abatement certification is required for this item; use the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET for this purpose.

Issued

2013-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2014-01-10 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7000.00 · Current $7000.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1): One or more methods of machine guarding was not 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:      (a) On August 28, 2013, in the basement area of the plant facility, the employer did not ensure that guarding was provided for the nip points created by the rotation of the step platform units moving from the downward travel position to the upward travel position at bottom of Belt Man Lift.  Employees were exposed to serious caught-in injuries created by the un-protected nip points.         Abatement certification is required for this item; use the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET for this purpose.

Issued

2013-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2014-01-10 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7000.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(d)(1): Pulley(s) with part(s) seven feet or less from the floor or work platform were not guarded in accordance with the requirements specified in 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o):     (a) On August 28, 2013, at the plant facility located at 303 W Olive St, Aurora, MO., The employer did not ensure that the Belt and Pulley on the Leg Machine located on the top floor level (Pent House) was enclosed and guarded. Employees were exposed to serious caught-in injuries created by the un-protected moving parts.           Abatement certification is required for this item; use the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET for this purpose.

Issued

2013-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2014-01-10 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(e)(1)(i): Horizontal belts which had both runs 42 inches or less from the floor level were not fully enclosed by guards conforming to requirements specified in 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o):    (a)  On August 28, 2013, at the plant facility located at 303 W Olive St, Aurora, MO., The employer did not ensure that the Horizontal Belt on the Leg Machine located on the top floor level (Pent House) was enclosed and guarded. Employees were exposed to serious caught-in injuries created by the un-protected pinch points of the belt.            Abatement certification is required for this item; use the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET for this purpose.

Issued

2013-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2014-01-10 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7000.00 · Current $3500.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.242(b): Compressed air used for cleaning purposes was not reduced to less than 30 p.s.i.:    (a) On August 28, 2013, in the Load Out area of the facility located at 303 W Olive St, Aurora, MO., Employees were exposed to serious injuries, in that the compressed air used for cleaning purposes was at 75 p.s.i. No nozzle pressure devices had been installed to ensure not more than 30 p.s.i. was being used for the tasks at hand.       Abatement certification is required for this item; use the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET for this purpose.

Issued

2013-12-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2014-01-10 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7000.00 · Current $3500.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(g)(2)(iii): Flexible cords were not connected to devices and fittings so that tension would not be transmitted to joints or terminal screws:    (a) On August 28, 2013, in the Pent House ( top floor) of the facility located at 303 W Olive St, Aurora, MO., Employees were exposed to serious electrical shock injuries, in that there was no strain relief on the flexible power cord to the Baldor Industrial Motor to the Dust Collector Unit exposing the internal electrical conductors.      Abatement certification is required for this item; use the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET for this purpose.