Combustible dust cited by OSHA in Wayne Lumber repeat violations
OSHA,
WAYNE, W.Va. - Wayne Lumber and Mulch Inc. faces $241,633 in fines for not correcting worker safety violations cited by the OSHA two yeas ago by the federal occupational safety agency. Allowing build-up of combustible material and not exhausting combustible sawdust and shavings were among the repeat violations. 
 
OSHA says inspectors visited Wayne, West Virginia-based Wayne Lumber in April 2016 as a follow-up from a March 2014 inspection. That earlier visit resulted in citations and fines for failing to properly guard a chop saw, and to provide railing and handrails around operating equipment.
 
"By all indications, Wayne Lumber and Mulch failed to take the violations we found in 2014 seriously," said Prentice Cline, director of OSHA's Charleston Area Office. "The fact that many of these hazards existed again - and the addition of nearly 30 new violations - tells us this employer is willing to jeopardize the safety of its workers." Citing an employee suffered a fingertip amputation due to lack of machine guarding in 2015, Cline says, "Without taking immediate action to ensure a safe workplace, more workers could be injured or worse." 
 
Remediation for the earlier citations included setting up safety training and work rules. This time around OSHA issued the lumber mill three willful violations and nine repeat violations, along with 12 other worker safety violations, including:  
  • Lack of an effective hazard communication training plan.
  • Exposing employees to electrical hazards, inadequate machine guarding, lack of a conveyor or exhaust system to remove combustible sawdust and shavings.
  • Failing to have lockout/tagout procedures in place to prevent accidental machine start-up or movement.
  • Allowing buildup of combustible materials.
  • Failing to provide leg protection.
OSHA says it cited Wayne Lumber and Mulch previously for the same violations in a 2014 inspection. Inspectors also identified several serious violations, and the agency issued serious citations not providing proper eye, hand and flashback protection, and permitting operation of a chainsaw without a manufacturer-approved chain catch.barriers and warning signs.
 
Other violations included allowing workers to use damaged welding cables; failing to ensure a moving vehicle was equipped with an audible warning signal; failure to report an employee amputation injury to OSHA, provide educational training program for employees on firefighting and fire extinguisher use, and to place a valve protection cap on an acetylene bottle. The OSHA citation to Wayne Lumber can be dowloaded here as a PDF. 
 
  

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About the author
Bill Esler | ConfSenior Editor

Bill wrote for WoodworkingNetwork.com, FDMC and Closets & Organized Storage magazines. 

Bill's background includes more than 10 years in print manufacturing management, followed by more than 30 years in business reporting on industrial manufacturing in the forest products industries, including printing and packaging at American Printer (Features Editor) and Graphic Arts Monthly (Editor in Chief) magazines; and in secondary wood manufacturing for WoodworkingNetwork.com.

Bill was deeply involved with the launches of the Woodworking Network Leadership Forum, and the 40 Under 40 Awards programs. He currently reports on technology and business trends and develops conference programs.

In addition to his work as a journalist, Bill supports efforts to expand and improve educational opportunities in the manufacturing sectors, including 10 years on the Print & Graphics Scholarship Foundation; six years with the U.S. WoodLinks; and currently on the Woodwork Career Alliance Education Committee. He is also supports the Greater West Town Training Partnership Woodworking Program, which has trained more than 950 adults for industrial wood manufacturing careers. 

Bill volunteers for Foinse Research Station, a biological field station staddling the border of Ireland and Northern Ireland, one of more than 200 members of the Organization of Biological Field Stations.