OSHA Inspection: KING SOOPERS MEAT PROCESSING PLANT

Issued

Apr 7, 1987

Abate by

Aug 1, 1993

Penalty

Initial $420 · Current $50 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) The employees performing meat cutting, sawing, boning and trimming
operations in the beef room and the pork room were exposed to undue
repetitive motion trauma. This trauma was due to repeated hand and
wrist exertions causing, aggravating or precipitating Carpal Tunnel
Syndrome, tenonitis, tenosynovitis, numbness of hands and elbows,
strains of hands and elbows, ganglionic cysts and epicondylitis.
Feasible and useful remedies include, but are not limited to the
following:
1) Education of employees as to what Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is, and how
to reduce the effects;
2) Training of employees on proper use of knives as required by their
job title;
3) Maintain the temperature of the beef quarters above freezing;
4) Engage the services of an ergonomics consultant to further analyze
the operation;
5) Training of employees in the proper stoning of a knife edge, and
maintaining a sharp edge;
6) Adoption of knives designed specifically for reduction in wrist
tension in beef/pork deboning and trimming operations;
7) Adoption of meat hooks designed specifically for reduction in wrist
and elbow tension in beef/port hooking operations;
8) Adjust and modify conveyor line stations relevant to the height of
employees;
9) Sharpen knives several times per day; and
10) Modify the conveyor spacing and the timing (speed).
*STEP 1: A written detailed plan of abatement leading to complete
abatement shall be submitted to the Area Director. Such a plan shall
outline dates of anticipated implementation of the plan.
*STEP 2: Abatement shall be completed by the implementation of feasible
engineering and/or administrative controls.

Issued

Apr 7, 1987

Abate by

May 2, 1989