OSHA Inspection: EX-TECH PLASTICS, INC.

Issued

2025-07-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2025-08-13 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $8276.00 · Current $4875.00 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.    (a) On or about January 24, 2025, an employee was exposed to burn hazards from heated molten plastic from the extruder barrel during the screen-pack change on line 6 extruder. The employee was not wearing appropriate personal protective equipment or otherwise protected to prevent contact with unexpected release of materials during the process.  Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

2025-07-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2025-10-01 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $8276.00 · Current $4875.00 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 (A) through (D): (A) A specific statement of the intended use of the procedure; (B) Specific procedural steps for shutting down, isolating, blocking and securing machines or equipment to control hazardous energy; (C) Specific procedural steps for the placement, removal and transfer of lockout devices or tagout devices and the responsibility for them; and (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 January 24, 2025, the employer did not ensure that a lockout procedure ID # L6EX for Line 6 Extruder clearly outlined all of the specific steps to be followed by employees to shut down, isolate, and disable components in order to safely de-energize the equipment and control its hazardous energies. The procedure did not include hydraulic and thermal energies, and copied content from E-1 disconnect selector for separate energy isolation points E-2 and E-3.  It lacked specific steps to relieve hazardous stored energy from increased pressure inside the barrel and did not provide effective verification methods for each energy source. Operators were assigned to perform setup tasks such as, but not limited to, changing of screen-pack and breaker plate assembly of the hydraulic screen changer after the equipment sat idle for a prolonged period of time while the barrel and heating element continued to be heated and sustained high melt temperatures. Operators were exposed to an unexpected release of hazardous stored pressure, heated gases and fumes, and heated molten plastic from the extruder barrel likely to result in serious burns and other injuries.  Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

2025-07-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2025-10-01 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $8276.00 · Current $4875.00 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.  On or about January 24, 20245, the employer did not ensure that periodic inspections of the energy control procedure and practices for the Line 6 Extruder were conducted at least annually to verify that the procedures were adequate and utilized for maintenance and servicing tasks. Deficiencies were found in the employer's Line 6 Extruder machine specific energy control procedure and its use, had periodic inspections been done as required, inadequacies would have been identified and deviations could have been corrected. Operators performing setup tasks were exposed to an unexpected release of hazardous stored pressure, heated gases and fumes, and heated molten plastic from the extruder barrel likely to result in serious burns and other injuries.  Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

2025-07-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2025-10-01 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $8276.00 · Current $4875.00 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.  On and before January 24, 2025, the employer did not provide lockout authorized employee training to operators performing servicing and maintenance activities on the extruder line. An operator at Line 6 extruder was seriously injured due to release of stored energy when setting up for a screen change on energized equipment. Employees were not trained to recognize all hazardous energies including stored buildup of pressure in the equipment's barrel section, and to safely shut down and apply controls to those energy sources prior to starting work.