OSHA Inspection: RITTAL NORTH AMERICA LLC

Issued

2021-03-31 00:00:00

Abate by

2021-05-21 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $13653.00 · Current $13653.00

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: (c)(4)(ii)(B) Specific procedural steps for shutting down, isolating, blocking and securing machines or equipment to control hazardous energy; (c)(4)(ii)(C) Specific procedural steps for the placement, removal and transfer of lockout devices or tagout devices and the responsibility for them; and (c)(4)(ii)(D) Specific requirements for testing a machine or equipment to determine and verify the effectiveness of lockout devices, tagout devices, and other energy control measures.  a) On or about December 10, 2020, the employer had not developed adequate steps for isolating, locking out, and testing the effectiveness of the energy control procedures for pneumatic energy, mechanical energy, and thermal energy on the Rittal 2009 Riweld Seam Welder machine number 21041405 for authorized employees such as but not limited operators performing setup and total preventive maintenance (TPM) and maintenance employees performing repairs and total preventive maintenance (TPM).

Issued

2021-03-31 00:00:00

Abate by

2021-06-28 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $13653.00 · Current $0.00 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 December 10, 2020, the employer had not provided adequate training for the authorized employees such as but not limited to operators and maintenance personnel who utilized the lockout procedures for the Rittal 2009 Riweld Seam Welder machine number 21041405.

Issued

2021-03-31 00:00:00

Abate by

2021-06-28 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $13653.00 · Current $6828.00 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. (c)(6)(i)(A) The periodic inspection shall be performed by an authorized employee other than the ones(s) utilizing the energy control procedure being inspected. (c)(6)(i)(B) The periodic inspection shall be conducted to correct any deviations or inadequacies identified. (c)(6)(i)(C) Where lockout is used for energy control, the periodic inspection shall include a review, between the inspector and each authorized employee, of that employee's responsibilities under the energy control procedure being inspected.   a) On or about December 10, 2020, the employer had not performed a periodic inspection for the Rittal 2009 Riweld Seam Welder machine number 21041405.

Issued

2021-03-31 00:00:00

Abate by

2021-05-21 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $13653.00 · Current $6828.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Alleged Violation Description	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: (d)(1) Preparation for shutdown. Before an authorized or affected employee turns off a machine or equipment, the authorized employee shall have knowledge of the type and magnitude of the energy, the hazards of the energy to be controlled, and the method or means to control the energy. (d)(2) Machine or equipment shutdown. The machine or equipment shall be turned off or shut down using the procedures established for the machine or equipment. An orderly shutdown must be utilized to avoid any additional or increased hazard(s) to employees as a result of the equipment stoppage. (d)(3) Machine or equipment isolation. All energy isolating devices that are needed to control the energy to the machine or equipment shall be physically located and operated in such a manner as to isolate the machine or equipment from the energy source(s). (d)(4)(i) Lockout or tagout device application. Lockout or tagout devices shall be affixed to each energy isolating device by authorized employees. (d)(6) Verification of isolation. Prior to starting work on machines or equipment that have been locked out or tagged out, the authorized employee shall verify that isolation and deenergization of the machine or equipment have been accomplished.   a) On or about December 10, 2020, employees such as operators and maintenance  were not following (d)(2) in that pneumatic and electrical energy for the welder were not shutdown, (d)(3) in that the neither energy source was being located and locked out, (d)(4)(i) in that lockout devices were not affixed to the pneumatic nor the electrical for the welder, and (d)(6) in that all energy sources such as but not limited to the pneumatic and the electric for the welder were not being verified as isolated and deenergized for the Rittal 2009 Riweld Seam Welder machine number 21041405.

Issued

2021-03-31 00:00:00

Abate by

2021-05-05 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $13653.00 · Current $10000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1): Types of guarding. One or more methods of machine guarding shall be 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 and sparks. Examples of guarding methods are-barrier guards, two-hand tripping devices, electronic safety devices, etc.   a) On or about December 10, 2020 during the production, the employer had not provided machine guarding to protect the operator and other employees from hazards such as but not limited to the moving parts, caught between hazards, burns due to thermal energy, and from mechanical energy causing movement of the machine for parts such as but not limited to the movement of the left tower, columns that enter into the enclosures, and the welding torches on the Rittal 2009 Riweld Seam Welder machine number 21041405 in that employees can put parts of their body between moving parts during production.