Inadequate Machine Guarding Leads to Fatality

Inadequate machine guarding leads to fatality

CANTON, OH– TimkenSteel, a steel manufacturer, was cited with inadequate machine guarding following a fatality of an employee in Canton, OH. The failure to install guards or provide proper hand tools to employees, led to entanglement hazards while operating a bar straightener machine.

Founded in 1917 as the steel business of The Timken Roller Bearing Company, the parent company to TimkenSteel, is a leading producer of carbon steel, alloy and micro-alloy steel in specialty bars, mechanical tubing, and other products used in the automotive, industrial, and energy markets. The company employs 1,800 workers.

Violations and Citations

During the investigation, OSHA determined the worker was operating the machine when he was entangled on a piece of steel bar stock that was rotating at high speeds. The entanglement of the employee with the steel bar stock ultimately led to fatal injuries. Upon further investigation, inspectors found the safety equipment provided to employees to manipulate the steel on the machines was not in compliance with the machine requirements. And because proper equipment and safety procedures were not in place, the employee’s limbs became exposed to the danger zones of the steel rotating machine.

OSHA cited the steel manufacturer with two willful and two serious citations, which resulted in over $315K in penalties. The serious violations were cited due to lack of guarding on horizontal drive shafts and knuckles, and walking-working surfaces that exposed workers to slip and fall hazards from oil coolant leaks and spills.

“A worker’s life might have been spared if Timken Steel safeguarded dangerous machinery as required by law,” said OSHA Area Director Howard Eberts in Cleveland. “This company identified the safety issue that exposed workers using this machine to serious hazards but failed to make it safe.”

Key Takeaways

OSHA sources state that workers who operate and maintain machinery suffer approximately 18,000 amputations, lacerations, crushing injuries, abrasions, and over 800 deaths per year.

Until there are no more workplace fatalities, it is critical companies remain vigilant with their safety procedures. If machine guarding procedures were in place, this workplace fatality could have been prevented. Martin Technical offers machine guarding safety training and program development along with other pertinent safety trainings to ensure the highest level of workplace safety.  Find out how Martin Technical can ensure every employee makes it home safely at the end of the day.

Read from the original source here: https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/region5/06222022

Resources:

https://martechnical.com/mechanical-machine/

https://martechnical.com/training-and-seminars/

https://martechnical.com/safety-and-osha-training/

https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs

https://www.osha.gov/machine-guarding

 

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June is National Safety Month

The month of June is National Safety Month, an event focused on bringing awareness to safety concerns in the workplace. Martin Technical, a member of the National Safety Council, wants to recognize National Safety Month and its significance. With such a high fatality rate in 2020 in the United States, with 4,764 fatal work injuries recorded (a 10.7% decrease from 5,333 in 2019), it is important to draw attention to this national topic. While this number is decreasing, National Safety Month is an event tailored around the continuation of the fatal work injury rate.

Top OSHA Safety Concerns

The list of top 10 most frequently cited standards following inspections of worksites by federal OSHA for all industries is released publicly every year to attract attention to safety concerns in the workplace that are often overlooked. With better knowledge and understanding of safety hazards that are often missed, companies can better prepare their workplace.

  1. Fall Protection, construction (29 CFR 1926.501) [related safety resources]
  2. Respiratory Protection, general industry (29 CFR 1910.134) [related safety resources]
  3. Ladders, construction (29 CFR 1926.1053) [related safety resources]
  4. Hazard Communication, general industry (29 CFR 1910.1200) [related safety resources]
  5. Scaffolding, construction (29 CFR 1926.451) [related safety resources]
  6. Fall Protection Training, construction (29 CFR 1926.503) [related safety resources]
  7. Control of Hazardous Energy (lockout/tagout), general industry (29 CFR 1910.147) [related safety resources]
  8. Eye and Face Protection, construction (29 CFR 1926.102) [related safety resources]
  9. Powered Industrial Trucks, general industry (29 CFR 1910.178) [related safety resources]
  10. Machinery and Machine Guarding, general industry (29 CFR 1910.212) [related safety resources]

Additional to their top safety citations OSHA has also released information on their “Fatal Four” leading causes of fatalities in the workplace.

  1. Falls- 36% of workplace fatalities
  2. Struck by Objects- 10% of workplace fatalities
  3. Electrocutions- 9% of workplace fatalities
  4. Caught in Between- 2% of workplace fatalities

How can you address Safety Concerns?

With proper safety training in place the risk of workplace fatalities decreases. All industries should focus on building and maintaining robust training programs for fall protection, lockout tagout, machine guarding, and arc flash, which help to provide education on the fatal four in the workplace. Martin Technical, a leading safety solutions company providing services and implementation solutions, has in-house subject matter experts whose mission is to help companies build their own customized and efficient training programs. Working with industry experts can boost your safety program, build or strengthen safety cultures, and combat the fatal four workplace concerns.

The Importance of National Safety Month

National Safety Month is a national movement with the goal of bringing awareness to safety in the workplace, ensuring every individual makes it home safe after each day, to enjoy the best part of their day. Join the cause and continue to help spread awareness today.

Resources  

Martin Technical Inc.

Martin Technical Safety Trainings

National Safety Council

OSHA Top Ten Citations

OSHA Safety Regulations

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Steps to Safety: OSHA Compliance

St. Louis, MI– Steel manufacturer St. Louis Cold Drawn LLC, has taken steps to creating a safer work environment with an initiative they started in 2016, in conjunction with Missouri OSHA, to develop improved safety awareness programs and to prevent on the job injuries. With nearly 4% of all cold steel workers suffering recordable injuries each year, this steel company strives to make a change.  

The Initiative  

The initiative is broken down into three separate aspects, all to improve workplace safety. 

  • A revised program to address hazards
  • A revised program to ensure routine training 
  • Preventative measures to keep workers safe 

The initiative started with 14 different safety and health visits, where consultants identify hazards, dangers, and violations. The consultants then worked with the company to implement new safety measures. Specific improvements that were made include: 

  • Machine guarding 
  • Adjusted warehouse layout  
  • Safety training 
  • Improved communication strategies  

“The Missouri On-Site Consultation Program helped St. Louis Cold Drawn understand that OSHA works cooperatively with businesses who voluntarily implement programs to ensure the workers’ safety and health,” said U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Acting Regional Administrator Steven J. Kaplan in Kansas City, Missouri. “St. Louis Cold Drawn made major improvements to its safety programs and did so with worker input. These efforts increased the ownership and involvement in safety at all levels of the company’s organization and significantly enhanced its safety culture.” 

The Results  

The company earned OSHA’s Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program, also known as SHARP status, in September 2020 and will seek renewal in 2022. SHARP acknowledges small and medium-sized businesses that have used OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Services and operate exemplary workplace safety and health programs. 

OSHA standards can be difficult to meet without the right knowledge and guidance. Partnering with industry experts such as Martin Technical can help you take the right steps to improving your workplace safety and culture by providing proper consultation and services. Offering a range of services from safety training, lockout tagout, electrical safety, to arc flash, Martin Technical can help you maintain OSHA compliance and build your safety culture.  

Read more from the original source 

Additional Resources   

Safety Training 

Lockout Tagout Program & Compliance 

Arc Flash Programs 

OSHA Laws and Regulations 

OSHA SHARP Program  

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