OSHA Inspection: GERBER POULTRY CO.

Issued

Nov 12, 1999

Abate by

Nov 17, 1999

Penalty

Initial $5,600 · 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 employmnent 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:
Employees were exposed to excessive levels of Heat Stress while unloading
chicken coups in the
Hanging Department. Such exposure(s) may lead to the developement of
serious and possibly
fatal heat induced illness(es), such as Heat Stroke, Heat Exhaustion, Heat
Cramps, Heat
Syncope, Heat Rash and Transcient Heat Fatigue.
On the morning/afternoon of July 27, 1999, employees were exposed to high
ambient heat levels
while unloading chicken coups. This resulted in an employee sustaining a
heat stroke, a serious
heat-related illness, and subsequently dying that same afternoon.
The ambient air temperature on July 27, 1999 reached approximately 97
degrees Fahrenheit.
The estimated metabolic work load for these employees put them in the
Medium workload
catagory as correlated with the guidelines established by the American
Conference of
Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) and the National Institue for
Occupational Safety
and Health (NIOSH).
Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct
this hazard include:
a.) Establishing provisions for a work/rest regime so that exposure time
to high temperatures
is decreased and/or the work rate is decreased, and/or rest periods are
increased in length and
frequency.
b.) Providing adequate amounts of cool potable water in the work areas for
employees and
encouraging all workers to frequently drink.
c.) Initiating a heat acclimation program to increase heat tolerance by
new workers and workers
returning to a job after more than one week away.
d.) Providing a cool area for heat-affected employees to rest and cool
down when symptoms of
heat illness are recognized in or reported by employees.
e.) Having trained personnel available at the worksite to treat workers
that develope signs or
symptoms of serious heat-related illness, i.e. heat stroke.
f.) Maintaining ice or iced water in adequate amounts for immediate first
aid to heat stroke
victim(s).
g.) Initiating a continuing training program to inform workers of:
1.) The hazards of heat-related illness(es).
2.)The predisposing factors and relevant signs or symptoms of heat injury
and illness.
3.)The potential health effects of excessive heat stress and of
heat-related illness first aid
procedures.
4.) The importance of immediate reporting to onsite management personnel
of the
developement of signs or symptoms of heat-related illness observed in or
reported by workers.
5.) The importance of immediate administration of appropriate first aid to
workers
reporting or displaying symptoms of heat-related illness.
6.) The effect of therapuetic drugs and social drugs (including alcohol)
that may increase
the risk of heat injury or illness by reducing heat tolerance.

Issued

Nov 12, 1999

Abate by

Nov 17, 1999

Penalty

Initial $2,800

Issued

Nov 12, 1999

Abate by

Nov 17, 1999