OSHA Inspection: RAKHRA MUSHROOM FARM CORPORATION

Issued

Sep 14, 1993

Abate by

Sep 18, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,875 · Current $938 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 was free from recognized hazards which were likely to cause
death or serious physical harm to employees in that:
a)   Rakhra Mushroom Farm, Alamosa, CO:  Employees were exposed to
fall hazards of 8 feet while standing on a dump truck bed wall to
release board on dumpster.
b)   Rakhra Mushroom Farm, Alamosa, CO:  Employees picking
mushrooms are exposed to falls greater than 4 feet while picking
trays stacked six high.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method
to correct this hazardous condition would be to:
1.   Equip the dump truck with platform with guardrails or other
fall protection.
2.   Reduce growing tray heights to five trays or less.

Issued

Sep 14, 1993

Abate by

Sep 17, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,875 · Current $938 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 was free from recognized hazards which were likely to cause
death or serious physical harm to employees in that:
a)   Rakhra Mushroom Farm:  An employee operating a bobcat on
4/23/93, was overexposed to Carbon Monoxide at a TWA level greater
than 100 PPM, approximately two times the permissible exposure
limit of 50 PPM.  This resulted in a blood carboxyhemoglobin
percentage in excess of 12.9 Overexposure to Carbon Monoxide
impairs the bloods ability to carry oxygen and may cause impaired
cardiovascular function, headache, and reduction of mental function
including coma.
Feasible and acceptable methods to correct the hazard, among other
methods, would be:
1)   Engineering controls designed to increase the ventilation to
the level where employee Carbon Monoxide exposure is decreased
below the existing ACGIH threshold limit values.
2.   Use of electric forklifts or other non polluting machinery for
indoor activity.
3)   Regular maintenance and use of equipment to ensure minimal
levels of Carbon Monoxide production.
Abatement normally will be multistep as follows:
Step 1:  Effective respiratory protection shall be provided and
used by exposed employees as an interim protective measure until
feasible engineering and/or administrative controls can be
implemented, or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee
exposure to within permissible exposure limits.
Step 2:  Submit to the Area Director a written, detailed plan of
abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of
engineering and/or administrative measures to control employee
exposure to hazardous substances as referenced in this citation.
This plan shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the
following actions which must be consistent with the abatement dates
required by this citation:
1)   Evaluation of engineering/administrative control options;
2)   Selection of optimum control methods and completion of design;
3)   Procurement, installation and operation of selected control
measures; and
4)   Testing and acceptance or modification/redesign of controls.
Step 3:  Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation
of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon
verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.

Issued

Sep 14, 1993

Abate by

Sep 18, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $750 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 was free from recognized hazards which were likely to cause
death or serious physical harm to employees in that:
1.   There is no emergency evacuation plan for the building in the
event of fire.
2.   Exits to the outside are not clearly marked in all areas of
the plant.
Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to
correct this hazardous condition would be to:
a)   Develop and implement an emergency evacuation plan.
b)   Mark all fire

Issued

Sep 14, 1993

Abate by

Sep 17, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $750 Reduced

Issued

Sep 14, 1993

Abate by

Oct 8, 1993

Penalty

Initial $2,625 · Current $1,313 Reduced

Issued

Sep 14, 1993

Abate by

Oct 8, 1993

Issued

Sep 14, 1993

Abate by

Oct 8, 1993

Issued

Sep 14, 1993

Abate by

Sep 22, 1993

Penalty

Initial $750

Issued

Sep 14, 1993

Abate by

Sep 17, 1993