Seattle, WA – Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has cited Industrial Container Services $215,250 for seven failure to abate serious violations related to confined space hazards and for not ensuring that moving parts were de-energized to prevent workers from becoming caught in machinery.
Industrial Container Services refurbishes metal drums and other industrial containers. It operates a “drum shot-blaster unit,” a 24-foot long tunnel with a series of rotating shafts that move metal drums through as they’re being shot-blasted to remove paint and coatings. L&I began its investigation in January 2015 after a worker was hospitalized after being injured while working inside a drum shot-blaster. The worker became entangled in a rotating shaft while working inside the confined space. L&I’s statement said the agency had cited the company previously for many of these hazards, but they had not been corrected.
L&I cited the company for seven failure to abate serious violations related to the confined space hazards and for not ensuring that moving parts were de-energized to prevent workers from becoming caught in machinery – procedures known as Lockout/Tagout.
These violations were originally cited in October 2013 and had not been corrected. Each carries a penalty of $22,750. L&I also cited the company for four repeat-serious violations and four serious violations related to confined space procedures and lockout/tagout, with penalties ranging from $11,700 to $4,550 for these.
“As a result of these safety issues, Industrial Container Solutions has been identified as a severe violator and could be subject to increased scrutiny at all its locations nationwide,” L&I’s announcement stated. It said the company has appealed the citation.
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