OSHA levies 'serious' violations against Conti after worker injuries

MOUNT VERNON, Ill. — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed fines totaling nearly $342,000 for Continental Tire the Americas L.L.C  covering two accidents last November at the company's Mount Vernon plant that resulted in injuries to three workers. 

On two straight days last November, three workers at the Mount Vernon plant were seriously injured in two separate incidents, resulting in the amputation of three fingers for one worker, severe burns for another and a concussion for a third employee, according to a pair of "citation and notification of penalty" letters from OSHA on May 12.

In a May 17 statement to Rubber News, Continental Tire the Americas said that while it shares OSHA’s view that employee safety is its highest priority, the company “disagrees with the results of the investigation and we will exercise our right to challenge its findings.”

Continental has 15 business days from receipt of the May 12 correspondence to request an informal review with OSHA or dispute findings, according to OSHA.

“The safety and security of our employees is always our top priority,” Continental said. “We have taken actions as a result of our internal investigation to prevent such accidents in the future. Additionally, we have cooperated with OSHA throughout its investigation.”

In the first incident that occurred Nov. 13, a worker allegedly was attempting to unjam rubber that had been caught in an Ohio Knife (rubber shearing) machine, OSHA said.

In a second incident that occurred Nov. 14, a rubber compound mixer allegedly exploded, causing severe burns to one worker that required hospitalization and a concussion for another, according to OSHA.

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The Nov. 13 incident resulted in three "serious" violations of $10,600 per violation; and two "repeat-serious" violations, which tallied $51,800 in one case and $103,600 in another.

"The Line 4 Mixer energy control procedure developed for the Line 4 Ohio Knife failed to provide a specific statement of the intended use of the procedure to clear rubber from the Ohio Knife shear in accordance with (OSHA regulations)," the OSHA report for the Nov. 13 incident said.

"The procedure also failed to clearly identify all of the specific steps to be followed by employees to: shut down the Ohio Knife; isolate all of the Ohio Knife hazardous pneumatic and gravity energy sources; and the use of blocks of rubber to restrain and secure the Ohio Knife shear in the open position to safely de-energize and control the hazardous energy in accordance with (OSHA regulations)."

Two other "serious" violations in this case involved inspection of the Ohio Knife shearer being performed by an unauthorized employee; and "the points of operation of machinery not (being) guarded to prevent employees from having any part of the body in the danger zone."

In the first "repeat-serious" offense in the Nov. 13 incident, inadequate training was cited for employees operating the Ohio Knife machine, a violation for which Continental previously had been cited, according to OSHA.

In a second "repeat-serious" offense, Continental allegedly failed "to implement energy control application steps as the machine was not shut down or turned off to perform the service work."

Even after the employee's accident, according to OSHA, a second violation was cited.

"A management employee was exposed to machine hazards associated with the point of operation during servicing, the recovery of amputated fingers and cleaning of the Line 4 Ohio Knife (shear).

"The employer failed to implement energy control application steps as the machine was not shut down or turned off to perform the service work."

In all violations for this incident, abatement procedures must be implemented by Continental by June 30. These include the purchase or repair of equipment, photographs or video, receipts or training records that must be submitted to OSHA.

In the Nov. 14 incident, an industrial rubber compound mixer exploded, seriously injuring two workers.

Thirteen "serious" violations were recorded in this case by OSHA following its investigation (23 total "serious" violations were recorded by OSHA, though some were lumped together as one violation), along with three "other-than-serious" violations.

Proposed fines totaled $155,386 for this second incident, with the largest fine at $14,502 and the lowest at $2,072, according to OSHA's May 12 citation letter to Continental.

"Employees working in the employer's Mixing Department are exposed to the recognized hazards of explosion, deflagration, and/or fire associated with the employer's use of dust collectors to collect combustible tire compound mixing dust (carbon black mixtures) which are located indoors and are connected directly to mixing equipment," OSHA stated.

"The mixing process presents potential ignition sources into the dust collectors. The direct connection between each mixer and its associated dust collector(s) creates an unimpeded pathway for combustible dust in the dust collector to encounter an ignition source and ignite, causing an explosion, deflagration and/or fire."

OSHA cited 10 other indoor and outdoor dust collectors at the Mount Vernon plant that allegedly were "similarly configured" to the one that exploded.

Other "serious" violations related to the Nov. 14 explosion resulted from allegedly obscured pathways and blind exits; cleanliness issues for "carbon black dust that was allowed to accumulate in layer form;" a lack of personal protective equipment for those operating the mixer and nearby machinery; and "sharp protruding objects, loose boards and corrosion."

"On or about Nov. 14, 2021, and times prior, where necessary by reason of hazards of process during mixing operations capable of producing flammable vapors including ethanol gas, the employer did not provide and ensure the use of flame-resistant clothing to protect tandem mixer operators, such as those operating the Line 21 mixer, from flash fires and flame fronts associated with ignition of flammable vapors," OSHA said.

Ceiling and mezzanine heights and a lack of guarded rails and proper widths for "walking-working" paths also were cited as "serious" violations, according to OSHA.

Abatement procedures related to the alleged mixer explosion violations must be implemented by various deadlines including June 8, June 30 and Aug. 12, according to OSHA.

"OSHA standards are put in place to prevent workers from suffering life-altering injuries," OSHA Region 5 Area Director Aaron Priddy said in a statement. "Continental Tire the Americas must learn from these tragic injuries, review company safety procedures and employee training and make sure workers are safe on the job."

Barring a request within the 15 business days for an informal review or dispute of the alleged violations, it was unclear if the abatement procedures and monetary penalties must be satisfied on the same deadlines dates listed in the citation and penalty letters.

Based in Fort Mill, S.C., Continental Tire the Americas L.L.C. manufactures passenger, light truck and commercial tires in the U.S. at facilities in Mount Vernon; Bolton, Miss.; and Sumter, S.C.

The Mount Vernon factory, opened in 1972, produces passenger, light truck and truck/bus tires, employing 3,400 with estimated capacity of 14.1 million units a year, according to data from the latest Global Tire Report.