OSHA Inspection: MONFORT, INC.

Issued

Apr 19, 1993

Abate by

Jul 15, 1994

Penalty

Initial $12,000 · Current $5,000 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:
Establishment - The hazard of being struck by or caught between
material or objects moving on or located adjacent to an overhead
chain round conveyor which had been designed for and intended to
be used to convey rounds of beef.
Acceptable abatement methods to correct the hazard include, but
are not limited to, the following:
1. The establishment and enforcement of a standard operating
procedure prohibiting the transport of any item on a conveyor
belt or chain for which the conveyor is not specifically
designed to transport or, transporting an item in a
configuration
for which the conveyor is not designed to carry.
2. The establishment and enforcement of a standard operating
procedure which ensures that direct, unobstructed routes to
emergency conveyor stop switches are maintained at all times.
3. Maintain, under every and all circumstances, a 6 feet 8 inch
clearance under all overhead conveyors above the floor or
any walking surface or otherwise guard so that personnel
or equipment can not inadvertantly come in contact with any
moving materials.
4. The establishment and enforcement of a standard operating
procedure which ensures that, at all times,  sufficient
clearance is maintained under and adjacent to overhead
conveyors
to assure that materials or equipment, in use or in
storage, cannot inadvertently come in contact with either
materials being conveyed or the conveyor itself or; the
installation of sensing devices designed to immediately stop
conveyors in the event such clearance is not maintained.
5. The development and implementation of a training program for
employees working on conveyor belt and chain lines which
includes, as a minimum, the safe conduct of their jobs around
conveyors including the information contained in the standard
operating procedures outlined in paragraphs 1-3 above.