Thursday, October 7, 2010

Worker Death at Paper Mill in New York

Yet another avoidable death. Because of the lack of taking the proper precautions in machine guarding a man was caught and crushed in a paper rolling machine. Proper machine guards are absolutely crucial in protecting workers from accidental death or dismemberment. OSHA doesn't just make up these rules for nothing; it's for worker safety - it saves lives!

Check out an awesome Machine Guarding safety training video from Wumbus Corporation!

US Labor Department's OSHA cites Niagara Falls, NY, paper mill after worker death

BUFFALO, N.Y. - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued Norampac Industries Inc. repeat and serious safety violations following the May 12 death of a worker at its Niagara Falls, N.Y., paper mill. The worker was crushed when he became caught between a fixed metal barrier and a large paper roll that was moving on a conveyor.

"Our inspection found that the area where the moving paper roll and the barrier intersected lacked guarding to prevent employees from being caught between the two objects," said Arthur Dube, OSHA's area director in Buffalo. "Proper and effective machine guarding is essential to protecting workers against serious injury or death."

OSHA also identified other hazardous conditions that were not related to the fatality. These included lack of eye and face protection for workers performing voltage testing on live electrical circuits; unmarked and painted-over electrical disconnects; and not ensuring that confined space entry supervisors could verify that rescue services were available and able to be contacted in the event of a confined space emergency.

As a result of its inspection, OSHA issued the company two repeat citations with $70,000 in proposed fines for lacking machine guarding and eye and face protection. The repeat citations stem from violations found in 2009 for similar hazards at the company's Thompson, Conn., manufacturing plant.

Two serious citations with $5,000 in fines were issued for the remaining items. OSHA issues serious citations when death or serious physical harm is likely to result from hazards about which the employer knew or should have known.

"One means of eliminating hazards such as these is for employers to establish an illness and injury prevention program in which workers and management jointly work to identify and eliminate hazardous conditions on a continual basis," said Robert Kulick, OSHA's regional administrator in New York.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Equistar Chemicals Fined for Safety Violations After Fire

US Labor Department's OSHA fines Equistar Chemicals in Tuscola, Ill., $81,900 for safety violations following fire

TUSCOLA, Ill. -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued Equistar Chemicals LP in Tuscola one willful and three serious safety citations following an explosion and fire at the plant on March 22. The willful citation is for failing to ensure a safe haven for workers in the company's alcohol unit in the event of a fire or explosion. Proposed penalties total $81,900.

"It is imperative that all manufacturers, especially those producing hazardous products, ensure all possible safety precautions are implemented in the workplace," said OSHA Area Director Nick Walters in Peoria, Ill. "This employer failed to implement safety recommendations that would do just that."

Equistar, a wholly owned subsidiary of LyondellBasell Industries, produces gaseous organic compounds such as ethylene, propylene and polyethylene used in manufacturing various products. OSHA conducted a process hazard analysis at the plant in January 2002 and recommended the company provide a safe haven for alcohol unit operators. Equistar was issued the recent willful citation and a $63,000 penalty for failing to implement the 2002 recommendation in a timely manner and to communicate that safety recommendation to its employees. A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements, or plain indifference to employee safety and health.

Equistar was issued serious citations for failing to document that equipment is in compliance with good engineering practices; ensure and document that plant equipment is designed, maintained, inspected, tested and operated in a safe manner; and inspect and test equipment in accordance with manufacturer recommendations. Those fines carry a combined penalty of $18,900. An OSHA violation is serious if death or serious physical harm can result from a hazard an employer knew or should have known exists.

Reposted from OSHA's website

HazCom Training can be found from Wumbus Corporation, check it out!