OSHA Inspection: FARWELL GRAIN INSPECTION CO., INC.

Issued

Apr 22, 2005

Abate by

May 18, 2005

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $1,260 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 the condition(s) listed below:
The employer did not rely on administrative controls to protect each
employee from  fall
hazards when employees walk along the top of rail cars in the staging area
to open the
hatches to prepare for filling the cars with grain.  This violation was
determined to be a
recurring practice on March 8, 2005 when employees stated they were on top
of cars in the
staging area where there is no means of fall protection.  The cars were
moving while
employees were walking on the tops collecting their samples.
Feasible and acceptable abatement methods:
1.  Train employees to recognize the hazards associated with working on
rail cars in
staging yards and other areas away from the loading point.
2.  Evaluate the employee's ability to work safely on top of rolling stock.
3.  Implement a company procedure to ensure employees can work safely on
top of
rail cars (along with disciplinary action when an employee violates
company safety
procedures).