October 2005 OSHA News

Greater Illinois OSHA News              October 19, 2005

Vol 1. No. 6 

Madison, Ill., Business Cited Again

OSHA has proposed $418,200 in fines for Midwest Racking Manufacturing, Inc., of Madison, Ill., for failing to protect workers from numerous workplace hazards  that OSHA identified in a recent inspection and eight previous inspections.

The company has consistently failed to correct grave and potentially disastrous workplace hazards, including the lack of such basic worker protections as personal protective equipment, machine guarding, fire prevention measures, safety training, fall protection, and lockout/tagout procedures.

The current fine and OSHA citations follow an inspection initiated in April 2005, following receipt of a complaint.  The inspection led to five alleged serious violations, eighteen alleged willful, and ten repeat violations ranging from electrical hazards and smoking permitted within 20 feet of a spray painting operation to a lack of eye and foot protection and improper use or lack of the use of respirators.  OSHA has cited the company numerous times since 1995 and Midwest has failed to correct identified hazards in spite of offers of free assistance through OSHA’s consultation services.  Midwest manufactures metal storage rack systems.

Informational Outreach Sessions Provided To Central Illinois Roofers

In an effort to educate those in the roofing industry on the OSHA Standards, and prevent death or serious injury, the Peoria OSHA office has been conducting informational outreach sessions for Central Illinois Roofers.  Compliance Officers Rob Bonack, Karl Armstrong, and Ken Koroll have thus far provided three informational outreach sessions to approximately 70 area roofers in Galesburg, Woodford County and Champaign/Urbana .  During the sessions requirements for fall protection, personal protective equipment, training, inspections, and the top ten cited standards in the Roofing Industry for Central Illinois are covered. Participants are provided a sample safety program, quick reference residential roofing card, Interim Fall Protection Compliance Guidelines for Residential Construction, and Residential Fall Protection Nailing It Down.  If you would be interested in having an outreach session conducted in your area or would like a sample safety program, or quick reference residential roofing card contact Rob Bonack or Karl Armstrong at 309-589-7033 or email bonack.robert@dol.gov or armstrong.karl@dol.gov .  

Typical hazard of no fall protection on a residential roof. Photo by Karl Armstrong.

Hearing Loss Recordability

We  recently had a  large employer not record hearing loss appropriately. 

On January 1, 2003, a final rule, 29 CFR 1904.10, became effective requiring employers to record occupational hearing loss on the OSHA Form 300 Log of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.  If the employee suffered an age adjusted Standard Threshold Shift (STS) of 10dB or more in one or both ears and the employee’s overall unadjusted hearing level is 25dB or more above audiometric zero (averaged at 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz) in the same ear(s) as the STS, it must be recorded.  To help prevent hearing loss, OSHA unveiled a new web page, the Noise and Hearing Conservation etool on January 31, 2005. (From Janice Barrier)

 Carpenter Union Train 3000 Workers in OSHA 10 Hour Course

Our office awarded the Southern Illinois Carpenters Training Center for achieving a major milestone in worker safety. They have trained 90% of all their members in the OSHA 10 Hour Course for Construction. Over 3000 in total have been trained. The OSHA 10 Hour course covers safety topics in fall protection, electrical safety, fire safety, and hazard recognition in several other areas. Anyone working in construction or manufacturing can really benefit by having the basic safety training in these courses. Congratulations again to a major accomplishment. 

From left to right: 

Todd Pruett  BA
Shane Huwer  BA
Bob Kaelin   BA
Kevin Hamilton BA
Ron Dicus Southern Illinois Coordinator
Danny Jones Apprentice Instructor
John Newquist – Area Director OSHA
Wes Taylor – OSHA Compliance Assistance Specialist
Kenny Roche Apprentice Instructor
Gary Eversman  Apprenticeship Coordinator

Lifesaving Plaque Awarded

OSHA awarded a lifesaving plaque for the two fishermen who rescued a fallen painter off the I-74 bridge. Their quick action got the man out of the water where he was transported to the hospital. The worker very well could have drowned if not for these heros. 

Jim Kent receiving his Plaque from OSHA Team Leader Barry Salerno. 

Rick Willis receiving his Plaque from OSHA Team Leader Barry Salerno. 

Excavation Hazard with Manholes

We are still seeing companies not use cave-in protection with manholes. They often have existing utilities as shown in the photo below. There are several means to correct-- by either widening the excavation, use of hydraulic shoring, use of sheet piling, use of wood shoring, or using sliding shield system as shown in the second photo. It is unacceptable to do nothing and expose an employee to a cave-in hazard. 

Ammonia Machinery Rooms

In discussions with the OSHA National Office and a Warehouse undergoing a VPP process having ammonia refrigeration equipment, the question of ventilation rates and alarm settings came up. The minimum emergency ventilation rate for ammonia machinery rooms is 12 Room Air Changes per Hour with emergency alarm set at 1000 ppm, per the National Office. 

Joyride

One of investigators spotted a worker at a marine terminal using the clamshell bucket as an elevator. He was exposed to a 50 foot fall if he lost his balance. 

(photo by Dustin Miller)

Comments

If you would like to receive this newsletter via E-mail, contact "newquist.john@dol.gov". Due to costs, this cannot be mailed to individual companies. 

Comments on the newsletter should be addressed to John Newquist c/o OSHA, 2918 West Willow Knolls Rd. Peoria, IL 61614 

Peoria office - Phone (309) 589-7033. 

Fairview Heights office - Phone (618) 632-8612

The information contained herein has been compiled and reported with the intent that it is

both reliable and up-to-date, and is offered for general guidance only. Additional safety

measures may be required by your facility under certain conditions or circumstances.

Professional advice should be sought for specific situations.

November 2005 OSHA Newquist

Greater Illinois OSHA News              November 1, 2005

Vol 1. No. 7 

Lockout?

 

This sign was found in a machine shop. Notice that the word lockout is not present. Simply turning a switch off is not lockout. We would expect lockout at the energy source, a written lockout program with specific procedures, training of all authorized and affected employees, and annual audits that are documented. (photo by Ken Koroll)

SIOSH Days 

We had a successful day partnering with other companies in the annual SIOSH days on October 18 at John Logan College in Carterville. Wes Taylor, John Newquist, Anthony Gilson, and Bonnie Knisch all helped to make the OSHA side work well. We presented an OSHA update, confined space, and most frequently cited. This is an annual event in the far Southern area of the state. 

DIOSH Days

http://www.dioshday.com is the website for one of the largest Illinois Safety days in the state. Going on its 15th year, there will be many speakers and sessions to choose from. Mark March 1st on your calendar. See the website for the brochure and registration. 

Recent Court Decisions

10/12/2005    Favorable Lake Erie Construction decision received in a case appealed to the Review Commission (Cleveland Area Office, SOL Ashley, Commissioners Railton and Rogers).  Fall protection violations and penalties when changing an overhead highway sign sustained.  One of these was a Repeat.  The Commission agreed with the ALJ that we proved constructive knowledge.  In addition, OSHRC rejected the company's argument that one violation was not a Repeat because the method of abatement was different - the Repeat was based on a substantially similar hazard,  therefore it's a Repeat.

10/14/2005    Favorable decision in the Ruhlin Company case received (Cleveland Area Office, SOL Garvey, Judge Welsch).  The judge vacated 1926.95(a) high visibility garments on the basis that reflective vests are a warning signal not a barrier or shield.  The general duty clause was cited “in the alternative” and sustained for reflective vests for employees in the work zone. OSHA will continue to cite 1926.95(a) with 5(a)(1) in the alternative for not wearing reflective vests.

10/20/2005    Favorable decision in the Pegasus Tower case received (Madison Area Office, SOL Walanka, expert Jocko Vermilion from Cleveland AO, Judge Barkley).  Two general duty clause citations were sustained (fall from hoist line used to raise and lower an employee when a load was attached; 940 foot fall and struck by hazards from improper Flemish eye rigging and unknown capacity of non-engineered gin pole) as well as a serious violation.  One ladder violation was vacated for an employee jumping from tree to tree, judge agreed it was a hazard but that the standard did not contemplate or address tree jumping!

Shocking Scaffold Tieback!

Compliance Office Tony Gilson was driving in Belleville and saw this unusual scaffold tieback and conducted an inspection. 

OSHA expects the power to be de-energized or to maintain a 10 foot safe distance for this 440 volt incoming electrical feed. (photo by Tony Gilson)

FREE Residential Fall Protection Training Seminar

Since we have emphasized residential fall protection lately, our compliance officers are putting on a free Residential Safety training session:

Topics to be covered:

Scaffolding

Trenching 

Health Topics such as – Silica, Asbestos, and Personal Protective Equipment

Truss Erection

Wall Erection

Sheathing

Shingling

Electrical

Accident Prevention and Training Programs

HOW TO PREVENT RECEIVING OSHA CITATIONS!

Where: Illinois Central College North Campus 

  Arbor Hall – 5407 N. University - Free parking in Lot #1 

When: Thursday, Nov 10, 2005 @ 4:30pm – 6:00pm

For information call (309) 589-7033 and ask any safety specialist for details.

Comments

If you would like to receive this newsletter via E-mail, contact "newquist.john@dol.gov". Due to costs, we cannot mail to individual companies. 

Comments on the newsletter should be addressed to John Newquist c/o OSHA, 2918 West Willow Knolls Rd.,  Peoria, IL 61614 

Peoria office - Phone (309) 589-7033. 

Fairview Heights office - Phone (618) 632-8612

The information contained herein has been compiled and reported with the intent that it is

both reliable and up-to-date, and is offered for general guidance only. Additional safety

measures may be required by your facility under certain conditions or circumstances.

Professional advice should be sought for specific situations.  The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (IL DCEO) can be contacted at 1-800-972-4216