A manufacturer of rigid metal, plastic, and hybrid containers faces $503,380 in proposed penalties after OSHA inspectors responded to four (4) separate reports of workers suffering injuries at the facility. As a result of its investigations, OSHA cited the business for five (5) repeated and five (5) serious safety violations of machine safety procedures and placed the company in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program. In the past five (5) years, 15 workers suffered amputations at the Chicago plant.
OSHA found one employee suffered two broken bones in his hand after a piece of equipment crushed it. Three other employees suffered amputations from an unguarded chain and sprocket assemblies. The agency issued repeated citations for failing to train workers in lockout/tagout procedures that prevent unintentional machine movement and inadequate machine guarding on a mechanical power press, belts and pulleys, and chains and sprockets. The five serious citations involve failing to lockout equipment before clearing jams and inadequate machine guarding on multiple pieces of equipment. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, the company has 27 facilities and about 4,000 employees in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico – with about 500 employees in Chicago. Here are the citations:
Citation 1 Item 1
Type of Violation: Serious; $12,675
29 CFR 1910.147(d): Application of control. The established procedures for the application of energy control (the lockout or tagout procedures) did not cover the following elements and actions and were not done in the following sequence:
- On or about February 18, 2017, employees were servicing and maintaining the Bliss Scroll Shear #7 in the Material Center Department without being required to lock the equipment out, thereby employees were exposed to amputation hazards.
Citation 1 Item 2
Type of Violation: Serious; $12,675 29 CFR
CFR 1910.212(a)(1): One or more methods of machine guarding were 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 and sparks:
- On or about February 18, 2017, one or more methods of machine guarding was not provided on the Bliss Scroll Shear #7 in the Material Center Department, thereby exposing employees to hazards created by point of operation.
Citation 1 Item 1
Type of Violation: Serious; $12,675
29 CFR 1910.147(d): The established procedure for the application of energy control (the lockout or tagout procedures) did not cover the actions listed in and was not done in sequence as required by 29 CFR 1910.147(d)(1)-(6)
- On or about April 19, 2017, employees were exposed to machine hazards associated with rotating and moving parts when they engaged in servicing and maintenance activities on equipment located in the Can Press Department. The employer did not ensure that employees implemented energy control application steps prior to allowing them to clear jams from punch presses’ in-feeders and points of operation, exposing them to laceration and amputation injuries.
- On or about April 19, 2017, employees were exposed to machine hazards associated with moving parts and in-going nip points when they engaged in servicing and maintenance activities on equipment located in the Can Assembly Department. The employer did not ensure that employees implemented energy control application steps prior to allowing them to clear jams from the welders, exposing them to fractures and amputation injuries.
The machines were not shut down or turned off prior to engaging in these servicing and maintenance activity. As a result, the remaining applicable energy control elements, involving machine isolation [1910.147(d)(3)], lockout/tagout device application [1910.147 (d)(4)], dissipation of residual energy [1910.147 (d)(5)(1)], and verification of isolation [1910.147 (d)(6)] were not implemented to protect employees from machine servicing hazards.
Citation 1 Item 2
Type of Violation: Serious; $9,959
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 and sparks:
- On or about April 19, 2017, the employer did not ensure employees were protected from crushing and amputation injuries while operating the Line #2 Clincher Machine, located in the Can Assembly Department. No method of guarding was used to prevent the employees from coming into contact with the moving parts of the equipment during its production cycle.
Citation 2 Item 1
Type of Violation: Repeat; $69,713
29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A): Authorized employee(s) did not 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.
- On or about April 19, 2017, the employer did not ensure that machine operators were trained as authorized employees prior to allowing them to engage in servicing and maintenance activities. Operators who were required to clear jams on punch presses in the Can Press and Can Assembly departments were not trained on the recognition of hazardous energy sources and the methods and means necessary to control them. These employees were exposed to machine hazards that could result in laceration and amputation injuries.
The Corporation was previously cited for a violation of an equivalent Occupational Safety and Health Standard 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 789941, citation number 1, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on February 6, 2013, with respect to a workplace located in Chicago, IL.
Citation 2 Item 2
Type of Violation: Repeat; $69,713
29 CFR 1910.217(c)(1)(i): The employer did not provide and ensure the usage of point of operation guards or properly applied point of operation devices on every operation performed on mechanical power press(es):
- On or about March 17, 2017, employees were operating the P64B Punch Press in the Pail Press Department and the opening in the point of operation guard was greater than three inches wide, thereby exposing employees to amputation hazards.
The Corporation was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health Standard 29 CFR 1910.217(c)(1)(i), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1051410, citation number I item number 7 and was affirmed as a final order on 08/08/2016, with respect to a workplace located in Homerville, GA.
The alleged violations below have been grouped because they involve similar or related hazards that may increase the potential for injury or illness.
Citation 2 Item 3a
Type of Violation: Repeat; $49,797
29CFR1910.219(e)(1)(i): Where both runs of horizontal belts are seven (7) feet or less from the floor level, the guard did not extend to at least fifteen (15) inches above the belt or to a standard height, except that where both runs of a horizontal belt are 42 inches or less from the floor, the belt shall be fully enclosed in accordance with paragraphs (m) and (o) of this section.
- On or about April 19, 2017, the employer failed to ensure that a horizontal belt and pulley assembly on the Seamer #1, in the Can Assembly Department, was guarded. Employees reached within 5 inches of the belt and pulley assembly when accessing an emergency stop button or when engaging in changeover activities, exposing them to laceration and amputation injuries.
The Corporation was previously cited for a violation of an equivalent Occupational Safety and Health Standard 29 CFR 1910.219(e)(3)(i) which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1158598 citation number 1, item number 1b and was affirmed as a final order on 08/16/16, with respect to a workplace located in Chicago, IL.
Citation 2 Item 3b
Type of Violation: Repeat; Grouped
29 CFR 1910.219(e)(3)(i): Vertical or inclined belt(s) were not enclosed by guard(s) conforming to the requirements specified at 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o):
- On or about April 19, 2017, the employer failed to ensure that a vertical belt near the welder on Line 2 in the Can Assembly Department was guarded. Employees reached within 5 inches of the belt and pulley assembly while accessing an air gun used to blow off excess resin powder, exposing them to laceration and amputation injuries.
The Corporation was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health Standard 29 CFR 1910.219(e)(3)(i) which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1158598 citation number 1, item number 1b and was affirmed as a final order on 08/16/16, with respect to a workplace located in Chicago, IL.
Citation 1 Item 1
Type of Violation: Repeat; $12,6749
29 CPR 1910.219(f)(3): Sprockets and chains. All sprocket wheels and chains were not enclosed unless they are more than seven (7) feet above the floor or platform. Where the drive extends over other machine or working areas, protection against falling shall be provided. This subparagraph does not apply to manually operated sprockets.
- On or about April 18, 2017, in the Can Press Department employees operating Can Press #15 (CP15) Quart Bottom Work Center 2671 and the magnetic wheel had an unguarded sprocket and chain at the end of the conveyor. Employees were exposed to amputation hazards.
The Corporation was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health Standard 29 CPR 1910.219(f)(3), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 280194, citation number 1, item number 5 and was affirmed as a final order on 11/21/2012, with respect to a workplace located in North Brunswick, NJ.
Citation 1 Item 1
Type of Violation: Serious; $12,675
29 CFR 1910.147(d): Application of control. The established procedures for the application of energy control (the lockout or tagout procedures) did not cover the following elements and actions and was not done in the following sequence:
- On or about May 15, 2017, employees were exposed to machine hazards associated with nip points when they engaged in servicing and maintenance activities on equipment located in the Can Assembly Department. The employer did not ensure that employees implemented energy control application steps during set-up activities, exposing them to amputation injuries from chain and sprocket assemblies on Line 2. The machines were not shut down or turned off prior to engaging in these servicing and maintenance activity. As a result, the remaining applicable energy control elements, involving machine isolation [1910.147(d)(3)], lockout/tagout device application [1910.147 (d)(4)], dissipation of residual energy [1910.147 (d)(S)(I)], and verification of isolation [1910.147 (d)(6)] were not implemented to protect employees from machine servicing hazards.
Citation 2 Item 1
Type of Violation: Repeat; $12,6749
29 CFR 1910.219(f)(3): Sprockets and chains. All sprocket wheels and chains were not enclosed unless they are more than seven (7) feet above the floor or platform. Where the drive extends over other machine or working areas, protection against falling shall be provided. This subparagraph does not apply to manually operated sprockets.
- On or about May 15, 2017, in the Can Assembly Department, employees removing cans from Line 2 to be tested were exposed to amputation hazards from an unguarded conveyor drive chain.
The Corporation was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health Standard 29 CFR 1910.219(f)(3), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 280194, citation number I, item number 5 and was affirmed as a final order on 11121/2012, with respect to a workplace located in North Brunswick, NJ.
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