OSHA Inspection: SINCLAIR & RUSH, INC.

Issued

Aug 30, 2021

Abate by

Dec 15, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.132(h)(1): Personal protective equipment (PPE), was not provided by the employer at no cost to employees.   (a) Throughout plant: Maintenance mechanics used propane torches to sweat pipes, and used oxyacetylene to weld and cut. The employer did not provide appropriate personal protective equipment such as welding gloves at no cost to the employees, on or about August 4, 2021.

Issued

Aug 26, 2021

Abate by

Dec 15, 2021

Penalty

Initial $13,653 · Current $9,557 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.95(g)(6): At least annually after obtaining the baseline audiogram, the employer did not obtain a new audiogram for each employee exposed at or above an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels :   (a) Injection Molding Department: An operator of various injection molding machines that generated noise simultaneously was monitored for 452 minutes and was exposed to continuous noise at 87.8 decibels averaged over 8-hours with zero exposure averaged for any unsampled time. The equivalent dose was 74.1% of OSHA's Permissible Exposure Limit for Noise, which is 90 decibels and exceeds OSHA's Action Level of 85 decibels. The employer did not obtain a new audiogram, thus exposing the employee to permanent hearing loss, on or about July 29, 2021.

Issued

Aug 26, 2021

Abate by

Sep 15, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.95(i)(3): Employees were not given the opportunity to select their hearing protectors from a variety of suitable hearing protectors provided by the employer:   (a) Injection Molding Department: An operator of various molding machines which generated noise simultaneously, was monitored for 452 minutes and was exposed to continuous noise at 87.8 decibels averaged over 8-hours, with zero exposure averaged for any unsampled time. The equivalent dose was 74.1% of OSHAs Permissible Exposure Limit for Noise, which is 90 decibels. The employer did not offer employees a variety of suitable hearing protectors, there was only one type of earplug provided, on or about July 29, 2021.

Issued

Aug 26, 2021

Abate by

Sep 15, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.95(k)(2): The training program was not repeated annually for each employee included in the hearing conservation program. Information in the training program was not updated to be consistent with changes in protective equipment and work processes:   (a) Injection Molding Department: An operator of various molding machines which generated noise simultaneously, was monitored for 452 minutes and was exposed to continuous noise at 87.8 decibels averaged over 8-hours, with zero exposure averaged for any unsampled time. The equivalent dose was 74.1% of OSHAs Permissible Exposure Limit for Noise, which is 90 decibels. The employer did not repeat training annually for each employee included in the hearing conservation program, on or about July 29, 2021.

Issued

Aug 26, 2021

Abate by

Sep 15, 2021

Penalty

Initial $13,653 · Current $9,557 Reduced

Hazardous substances X100

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.132(d)(2): The employer did not verify, through a written certification, that the required workplace hazard assessment had been performed:  (a) Printing Area, Rutherford Tube Printing  Machines:   Employees were exposed to acetone and 57 Series Dry Offset UV Inks but used latex gloves to protect their hands when they clean the machine's print blanket. The employer did not select and require employees to use appropriate personal protective equipment, on or about March 4, 2021.  (b) Throughout plant: Maintenance mechanics used propane torches to sweat pipes and heat, cut and weld on steel using an oxyacetylene torch. The employer did not select and require employees to use appropriate personal protective equipment such heat and flame resistant garments, eye protection and safety shoes, on or about July 29, 2021.

Issued

Aug 26, 2021

Abate by

Dec 15, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.132(f)(1): The employer did not provide training to each employee who is required by this section to use personal protective equipment:  (a) Printing Area, Rutherford Tube Printing  Machines:   Employees were exposed to acetone and 57 Series Dry Offset UV Inks but used latex gloves to protect their hands when they clean the machine's print blanket. The employer did not provide training regarding appropriate personal protective equipment, on or about March 4, 2021.  (b) Throughout plant: Maintenance mechanics used propane torches to sweat pipes and heat, cut and weld steel using an oxyacetylene torch. The employer did not provide training to employees to ensure use of appropriate personal protective equipment such heat and flame resistant garments, eye protection and safety shoes, on or about July 29, 2021.

Issued

Aug 26, 2021

Abate by

Sep 15, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0040

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.138(a): The employer did not select and require employees to use appropriate hand protection when employees' hands were exposed to hazards such as those from skin absorption of harmful substances; severe cuts or lacerations; severe abrasion; punctures; chemical burns; thermal burns; and harmful temperature extremes.  (a) Printing Area, Rutherford Tube Printing  Machines:   Employees were exposed to acetone and 57 Series Dry Offset UV Inks but used latex gloves to protect their hands when they clean the machine's print blanket. The employer did not select and require employees to use appropriate protection such as chemical resistant gloves, on or about March 4, 2021.

Issued

Aug 26, 2021

Abate by

Sep 15, 2021

Penalty

Initial $13,653 · Current $9,557 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.133(a)(1): The employer did not ensure that each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation:   (a) Throughout plant: Maintenance mechanics used an oxyacetylene torch to heat, cut and weld steel. The employer did not ensure that  employees use appropriate personal protective equipment such as the correct shade goggles or face shield for the task,  on or about July 29, 2021.

Issued

Aug 26, 2021

Abate by

Dec 15, 2021

Penalty

Initial $5,851 · Current $4,096 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.145(f)(3):Tags were not used as a means to prevent accidental injury or illness to employees who were exposed to hazardous or potentially hazardous conditions, equipment or operations which were out of the ordinary, unexpected or not readily apparent. Tags shall be used until such time as the identified hazard is eliminated or the hazardous operation is completed. Tags need not be used where signs, guarding or other positive means of protection are being used.  (a) Printing Area, Rutherford Tube Printing  Machine #3:  Tags or signs were not used as a means to prevent accidental injury to employees who were exposed to hazards being caught between the mandrels and the revolving drum, resulting in an injury such as but not limited to lacerations, on or about March 4, 2021.

Issued

Aug 26, 2021

Abate by

Dec 15, 2021

Penalty

Initial $13,653 · Current $9,557 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(1): The employer did not establish a program consisting of an energy control procedure, employee training and periodic inspections to ensure that before any employee performed any servicing or maintenance on a machine or equipment where the unexpected energizing, startup or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the machine or equipment shall be isolated from the energy source and rendered inoperative:   (a) Printing Area, Rutherford Tube Printing  Machine #3:   Employees were exposed to a caught-by hazard when they cleaned the machine's print blanket, using their hands and a towel with solvent. Employees are exposed to being caught between the mandrels and the revolving drum, resulting in an injury such as but not limited to lacerations on or about March 4, 2021.  (b) Printing Area, Injection Molding Area and Extrusion Area: Mechanics who performed maintenance, repairs and disassembly on the printing, injection molding and extrusion machines were exposed to injury such as, but not limited to, thermal burns because lockout procedures were not established,  on or about March 4, 2021 to present.

Issued

Aug 26, 2021

Abate by

Dec 15, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(7)(i): The employer did not provide training to ensure that the purpose and function of the energy control program are understood by employees and that the knowledge and skills required for the safe application, usage, and removal of the energy controls are acquired by employees  a) Printing Area, Injection Molding Area and Extrusion Area: The employer did not provide training to ensure that employees have the knowledge and understanding of the use of a lock out tag out program and the dangers of the energy of machines, including but not limited to the Rutherford Tube Printing Machines, New Britain 200 Injection Molding Machines, Van Dorn 300 Injection Molding Machines, Battenfeld 35 Injection Molding Machines, Boy 22 Injection Molding Machines, NRM Plastic Extruder Machines and Davis Standard Plastic Extruder Machines, on or about March 4, 2021 to present.

Issued

Aug 26, 2021

Abate by

Dec 15, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:  (a)  Printing Area, Injection Molding Area and Extrusion Area: The employer did not develop detailed specific procedures for shutting down machines, including, but not limited to the Rutherford Tube Printing Machines, New Britain 200 Injection Molding Machines, Van Dorn 300 Injection Molding Machines, Battenfeld 35 Injection Molding Machines, Boy 22 Injection Molding Machines, NRM Plastic Extruder Machines and Davis Standard Plastic Extruder Machines, thus exposing employees to injury such as fractures or thermal burns, on or about March 4, 2021 to present.

Issued

Aug 26, 2021

Abate by

Dec 15, 2021

Penalty

Initial $9,753 · Current $6,827 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(h)(1): Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:  (a) Printing Area, Rutherford Tube Printing  Machine #3:   Employees were exposed to acetone and 57 Series Dry Offset UV Inks when they wipe clean the machine's print blanket, using their gloved hands and a towel wet with solvent, but were not provided training on the written Hazard Communication Program, the physical and health hazards of chemicals they worked with nor measures they could take to protect themselves,  on or about March 4, 2021.  (b) Injection Molding Area:  Mechanics used highly flammable aerosol degreaser, propane and an oxyacetylene torch when they serviced machines, such as but not limited to the New Britain 200 Injection Molding machine, but were not provided training on the written Hazard Communication Program, the physical and health hazards of chemicals they worked with nor measures they could take to protect themselves, thus exposing them to fire and explosion hazards on or about July 22, 2021.  (c) Injection Molding Area:  Operators and helpers used mold release, a propane torch when working with molds and unclogging injection molding machines, such as but not limited to the Battenfeld Injection Molding machine, but were not provided training on the written Hazard Communication Program, the physical and health hazards of chemicals they worked with nor measures they could take to protect themselves, thus exposing them to fire and explosion hazards on or about July 29, 2021.

Issued

Aug 26, 2021

Abate by

Dec 15, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(f)(6)(ii):  Except as provided in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(7) and 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(8), the employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged or marked with the product identifier and words, pictures, symbols, or combination thereof, which provide at least general information regarding the hazards of the chemicals and which, in conjunction with the other information immediately available to employees under the hazard communication program, would provide employees with the specific information regarding the physical and health hazards of the hazardous chemical  (a) Printing Area:  Bottles of acetone were not marked with the product identifier and hazards on or about March 4, 2021.  (b) Injection Molding Area:  Drums marked Acetone contained waste oil, but were not marked with the product identifier and hazards, on or about July 22, 2021.