OSHA Inspection: PLASTIC RECYCLING TECHNOLOGY INC.

Issued

2024-08-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2024-08-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $14518.00 · Current $10372.00 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.  a) On or about May 7, 2024, the employer did not ensure that the developed procedures for controlling the hazardous energy such as hot water for equipment located on Line 30 Extruder, palletizer motor included procedures that authorized employees could utilized to isolate the water prior to disconnecting the cutter motor from the piping system to change blades within the motor.

Issued

2024-08-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2024-08-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $10372.00 · Current $0.00 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.  a) On or about May 7, 2024 the employer did not conduct annual periodic inspections of the energy control procedures including energy control procedures established for the equipment located on Line 30 Extruder.  Due to no periodic inspections of the procedures it was not addressed that authorized employees were not isolating the piping system that contained pressurized hot water prior to disconnecting the palletizer motor on the line to change blades.

Issued

2024-08-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2024-08-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $14518.00 · Current $7259.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A): Training and Communication. 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 May 7, 2024, the employer did not ensure that authorized employees were  adequately trained in the methods and means necessary for energy isolation and control for equipment including equipment located on Line 30 Extruder in that authorized employees did not understand when to isolate each energy source (electric and hot water) for the palletizer cutter motor prior to performing servicing and maintenance tasks such as but not limited to disconnecting the palletizer cutter motor, changing blades on the palletizer motor and performing die changes.

Issued

2024-08-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2024-08-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $14518.00 · Current $0.00 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:  (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) Lockout or tagout device application. Tagout devices, where used, shall be affixed in such a manner as will clearly indicate that the operation or movement of energy isolating devices from the "safe" or "off" position is prohibited.  (d)(5) Stored energy. Following the application of lockout or tagout devices to energy isolating devices, all potentially hazardous stored or residual energy shall be relieved, disconnected, restrained, and otherwise rendered safe.  (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 May 2, 2024 the employer did not ensure that authorized employees isolated the stored energy within the piping system for the Line 30 Extruder  palletizer motor as required in (d)(2) through (d)(6) while performing maintenance in that the extruder was pressurized with hot water and when the palletizer motor was disconnected the water sprayed an employee.  b) On or about May 7, 2024, the employer did not ensure that authorized employees isolated the hazardous energy for the Line 20 Extruder in that steps (d)(3), (d)(4) and (d)(6)  were not performed to ensure hazardous energy to include but not limited to electrical energy and pressurized hot water was controlled while employees performed blade changes on the palletizer motor of Line 20 extruder.  c) On or about May 13, 2024, the employer did not ensure that authorized employees isolated the hazardous energy for the Line 60 Extruder in that steps (d)(3), (d)(4) and (d)(6) were not performed to ensure hazardous energy to include but not limited to electrical energy and pressurized hot water was controlled while employees performed blade changes on the palletizer motor of Line 60 extruder.