OSHA Inspection: SOUTHERN COTTON OIL COMPANY

Issued

Dec 4, 1992

Abate by

Jan 21, 1993

Penalty

Current $2,250

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.   Employees who must enter confined spaces such as storage
tanks, pits, and seed house tunnels were exposed to the hazard of
engulfment from unprocessed cottonseed.
Among other methods, feasible ;and acceptable abatement methods to
correct this hazard are:
1.   Implement the present confined space program by providing
appropriate personnel, training, and equipment for work in confined
spaces on all shifts.  Also, develop the program to be specific to
the facility.
2.   Remove compacted cottonseed from the wall of the storge tank
by working above the areas of compacted seed.
The employer is not limited to abatement methods suggested by OSHA,
i.e., methods explained are general and may not be effective in all
cases.  Other methods of abatement may be equally or more appropriate.
Ultimate responsibility for determining the most appropriate
abatement
method rests with  the employer, given its superior knowledge of
the specific conditions on its worksite.
The violation(s) described in this citation are alleged to have
occurred on or about the day(s) the inspection was made unless
otherwise
indicated within the description given below each violation.

Issued

Dec 4, 1992

Abate by

Dec 9, 1992

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $900 Reduced

Issued

Dec 4, 1992

Abate by

Feb 5, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $900 Reduced