Friday, September 2, 2016

York Metal Toll Processing Inc. faces $218K in additional OSHA fines because it fails to correct electrical, crushing and respiratory hazards

Mechanical Power Press

Mechanical power press

September 1, 2016
 
Syracuse auto parts manufacturer fails to correct electrical,
crushing and respiratory hazards
York Metal Toll Processing Inc. faces $218K in additional OSHA fines

SYRACUSE, N.Y.


An auto parts manufacturer where a worker's hand was amputated by a power press two years ago is facing $218,000 in fines for allegedly failing to correct multiple safety violations.


Federal workplace safety and health inspectors have cited York Metal Toll Processing Inc. for exposing employees to uncorrected electrical, crushing and respiratory hazards, as well as recurring amputation hazards.

The Syracuse Area Office of the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened two follow-up inspections at the company's Syracuse manufacturing facility on March 14, 2016, after the employer failed to provide evidence that they corrected violations cited during previous OSHA inspections. One of the previous inspections occurred as a result of an employee's hand being amputated by a power press.
Agency inspectors found that York Metal Toll Processing failed to:
  • Ensure electrical equipment used in a powder coat booth conformed with electrical standards.
  • Properly guard live electrical parts to prevent contact with energized circuits.
  • Safely remove powder coat via exhaust ducts to a powder recovery system.
  • Adequately train workers performing inspections and maintenance on power presses.
  • Inspect mechanical power presses.
  • Ensure lockout/ tag out procedures were specific to equipment in the facility.
  • Perform annual lockout/ tag out procedure inspections.
  • Train employees who wear respiratory equipment, and provide medical evaluations to ensure that they can wear a respirator safely.
  • Provide proper ventilation for welders working in spaces less than 10,000 cubic feet.
  • Inspect steel slings used for hoisting.
  • Maintain passageways and aisles in passable condition.
"York Metal Toll Processing has disregarded employee safety by failing to correct obvious electrical, crushing, and respiratory hazards, and also for allowing new and recurring hazards to exist," said Chris Adams, OSHA's area director in Syracuse. "For the safety and well-being of its employees York Metal Toll Processing must recognize the severity of these hazards and correct them once and for all."

As a result of the follow-up inspections, OSHA has issued York Metal Toll Processing citations for failure to abate fourteen previously cited violations, four repeat violations, and three serious violations. The company faces proposed penalties totaling $218,502 for these violations. The company manufactures parts primarily used in the automotive industry.

The citations can be viewed here, here, and here.

York Metal Toll Processing has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Syracuse office at (315) 451-0808.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit https://www.osha.gov.




A mechanical power press shears, punches, forms, or assembles metal or other materials by means of tools or dies attached to slides or rams. Metalworking occurs by placing stock on a bottom die and striking it with a top die. The top die is attached to a crankshaft with connecting rods and rotation of the crankshaft is accomplished from a motor, flywheel, and gear power transmission.

Typical mechanical power presses fall under two primary categories with respect to their specific clutch system:
Mechanical Full Revolution Clutch
Mechanical Part Revolution Clutch

Under these two categories are lists of the specific barriers, guards and hazards for each type of power press.

For additional information on electrical requirements, covers and auxiliary safeguarding for mechanical power presses, please refer to the Press Safety Considerations page.

Online Mechanical Power Presses Injury Form
Power presses, because of their use in high-production manufacturing and integral operator involvement, result in maximum hazards. Careful operation and safety precautions are extremely necessary.



Full Revolution Clutch Press with Safeguards Full revolution clutch press with safeguards
Full Revolution Clutch as defined by OSHA, [29 CFR 1910.211(d)(5)], is a type of clutch that, when tripped, cannot be disengaged until the crankshaft has almost completed a full revolution and the press slide a full stroke.
This type of press was designed to make one full machine stroke or crankshaft revolution after each engagement of the mechanical pin, collar, or rolling key.

Operator Involvement

The worker will activate the machine through a foot switch or palm buttons. Once this is done the press will perform a full stroke, barring any mechanical failures, before stopping at top dead center (TDC). This inability to stop the machine stroke poses a hazard to the operator and other workers.

Hazards:
Accident Report
View accident report
  • The biggest hazard when working with either full or part revolution mechanical power presses is the point of operation. A hand or any body part in this area can result in crushed or severed limbs or even fatalities.
Solutions:
  • The following are OSHA and ANSI recognized methods for safeguarding the point of operation on full revolution clutch mechanical power presses:




Machine Guarding
Presses»

Part Revolution Mechanical Press Part revolution mechanical press
A Part Revolution Clutch, as defined by OSHA, [29 CFR 1910.211(d)(6)], is a type of clutch that can be disengaged at any point before the crankshaft has completed a full revolution and the press slide has completed a full stroke.

The majority of part revolution presses are air clutch and brake. They are designed to trap air in a chamber or tube. When compressed air is put into these chambers, the clutch is engaged and the brake is disengaged. The press then makes a single stroke. To stop the press, the reverse takes place.
Operator Involvement
This type of press is not as dangerous as the full revolution clutch press. However, hazards still exist. Here, the operator must keep the operating controls depressed throughout the machine stroke. A release of either control will stop the press action.
PencilNote: Many older models of part revolution clutch presses use a mechanical-friction clutch. These types of presses are generally not as safe but can be updated by adding a properly sized air cylinder to the part revolution control.

For a printable sample form of a periodic inspection record for partial revolution power presses, please see Appendix E.
Point of Operation
Hazards:
  • The biggest hazard when working with either full or part revolution mechanical power presses is the point of operation. A hand or any body part in this area can result in crushed or severed limbs or even fatalities.
Solutions:
  • The following are OSHA and ANSI recognized methods for safeguarding the point of operation on part revolution clutch mechanical power presses: