OSHA Inspection: JOHN MORRELL & COMPANY

Issued

Jul 3, 1990

Abate by

Sep 16, 1991

Penalty

Initial $800 · Current $400 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were
free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death
or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to:
a) Throughout the John Morrell & Company meatpacking plant located at
1400 Weber Avenue, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, employees engaged in
electrical service, repair, and installation operations were exposed
to the hazard of electrical shock and/or were exposing other workers
to the potential of electrical shock due to improper wiring, lack of
equipment grounding, lack of adequate isolation from live electrical
parts, and installing services that do not conform to local, state or
nationally recognized codes such as the National Electrical Code.
One feasible and acceptable method of abatement would include, but not
be limited to, the following:
1) Four-year apprenticeship training under the direct supervision of
a journeyman level or master level electrician (at least 2000 hours/
year).
2) Following the apprenticeship period, journeyman candidates would be
required to take an successfully pass a journeyman's electrical
examination recommended by state or local electrical licensing boards
or the NEC.
3) Use work order permits to account for service work being performed
and to identify the personnel performing that work.
4) Use master electricians to conduct periodic inspections of electrical
service work as well as new installation work as a quality assurance
work.
5) Periodically evaluate the program and strickly enforce all of its
provisions.

Issued

Jul 3, 1990

Abate by

Sep 16, 1991

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $3,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were
free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death
or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to:
a) On or about April 24, 1990, and at times prior to, at the John
Morrell & Company facility located at 1400 North Weber Avenue, Sioux
Falls, South Dakota, employees operating the G.A. Braun Model 400
washer/extractor machines were exposed to the hazard of severe burns
caused by contact with scalding water backflushed from the detergent
dispensing chute while the employees were pouring chemicals into the
dispenser.
Among othe methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this hazard is to install commercially available automatic
chemical supply dispensing units.

Issued

Jul 3, 1990

Abate by

Sep 16, 1991

Penalty

Initial $8,000 · Current $4,000 Reduced