OSHA Inspection: CONAGRA/MAPLE LEAF MILLING, INC.

Issued

Jul 29, 1991

Abate by

Aug 1, 1991

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $2,125 Reduced

Issued

Jul 29, 1991

Abate by

Aug 1, 1991

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $2,125 Reduced

Issued

Jul 29, 1991

Abate by

Aug 1, 1991

Penalty

Initial $35,000 · Current $4,250 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  On
or about 3/5/91 the employer did not furnish employment and a place of
employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or
likely to clause death or serious physical harm to employees in that:
Employees were exposed to hte hazard of being struck by the recoil of
broken wire rope cables of the car puller during the spottinf of grain
hopper cars for unloading and loading of grain in the Peavey Elevator
unloading and loading sidings:
a) On 3/5/91, employees were moving grain hopper cars on the
unloading siding using a car puller winch system when "over-
spooling" occurred on the neutral drum, causing the cable to
come off the drum and wrap around the rotating drive shaft,
snapping the cable, and resulting in an employee being struck and
severely injured by the recoil of the broken wire rope.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method is to
use a car switcher or locomotive for the spotting awnd moving of railor
cars.
OR
2. Install drag brakes on car puller drums, discontinue the practice of
setting handbrakes on hopper cars, ands provide a barricaded area of
sufficient strength to protect employees from being struck by the recoil
of the broken wire ropes.
OR
3. Install a car puller system with a rated capacity high enough to safely
handle all forseeable loads and with safeguards to prevent overspooling
of drums, and provide a barricaded area of sufficient strength to protect
employees from being struck by the recoil of broken wire ropes.
b) On 3/5/91 in the Unloading Siding.  Employees set the handbrakes
on the first and last cars in a string of five loaded hopper
cars and then activated the car puller, resulting in cable
tension which exceeded the safe working load of the cable.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method is to
use a car switcher or locomotive for the spotting and moving of railroad
cars.
OR
2. Install drag brakes on car puller drums, discontinue the practice of
setting handbrakes on hopper cars, and provide a barricaded area of
sufficient strength to protect employees from being struck by the recoil
of broken wire ropes.
OR
3. Install a car puller system with a rated capacity high enough to safely
handle all forseeable loads and with safeguards to prevent overspooling
of drums, and provide a barricaded area of sufficient strength to protect
employees from being struck by the recoil of broken wire ropes.