Oven Inspections &
Audits
Overview
Users of fuel-fire ovens and driers in the USA are required by law to carry out regular inspections of the safety systems on their equipment. OSHA
1910.263(1)(9)(ii) “All safety devices on ovens shall be inspected at
intervals of not less than twice a month by an especially appointed,
properly instructed bakery employee…and not less than once a year by a
qualified independent auditor.” |
|
This
law has several implications for users of baking ovens and driers:
Every oven/drier must meet the minimum safety
standards set by OSHA
A documented procedure for the twice-monthly
inspection and testing of all safety devices must be in place. This procedure must reflect the current
condition of the oven, including any alterations that have been made during the
oven’s lifetime.
Bakery Employees that carry out these oven
inspections must be formally trained on the detailed procedures to be used
during an inspections, and must understand the function of each safety device
on the oven.
Experience gained by AMT during the last three years has revealed a substantial shortfall in all of these areas, industry-wide.
Minimum Requirements
Many ovens and driers installed in the industry are now more than 20 years old, and do not meet the requirements of today’s codes. In fact AMT has yet to find a single oven or drier that, on initial inspections, has met the minimum requirements of the OSHA laws. In many cases there are serious code violations, with safety deices either missing or deliberately bypassed. We recognize that, as a responsible oven operator, you will want to address the essential safety rectification work immediately, but that you may need more time to evaluate other safety-related improvement options for your oven. Our inspection/audit service is designed primarily to summarize the actions necessary to meet today’s OSHA codes, and we clearly separate this work from any other optional recommendations we may make. AMT doesn’t manufacture ovens – we have nothing to gain from recommending non-essential safety work.
Documented Procedures
The OSHA codes require that each safety device be inspected at least twice a month. This clearly implies that each device must be tested for correct operation – merely looking at safety switch achieves very little. AMT can generate a detailed procedure for the twice-monthly inspection of your oven. Our aim is to develop a comprehensive procedure that takes no more that 90 minutes for two bakery personnel. In addition, the format of our documentation is designed to be compatible with our annual independent safety audit.
Training
OSHA requires the provision of regular training for all
bakery employees involved in oven safety inspections. Using our generic training material, we can create for you a
customized 4-hour training program that covers all the ovens in your bakery. And to finish the job, we will coach your
managers on how to deliver the training on a repeat basis to your
employees.
OIS OSHA0001
|
§
NFPA
86 Standard for Ovens and Furnaces §
NFPA
54 National Fuel Gas Code §
NFPA
91 Standards for Exhaust Systems
* 2 days on site per oven (one day during production, one
day when oven is not in operation) |
|
§ Summary of code violations § Minimum remedial work required to meet OSHA code § Other recommendations for safety improvements § Review of Bakery’s existing OSHA Inspection procedures
* Clear distinction is made between work that is
essential to meet OSHA code, and any other work that is recommended by NFPA
codes |
|
§
Safety circuit verification §
Testing of safety switches §
Leak testing procedures for main gas safety shut-off valve |
|
§
Oven safety systems §
How to perform 2-montly OSHA oven inspection procedures |
Site Links
|
|
|
AMT, Inc.
560 W. 3rd St. • Jamestown, NY 14701 • (716) 488-9827 • Fax: (716) 664-2898
Copyright ©