OSHA Inspection: AMERICAN WOOD FIBERS, INC.

Issued

Nov 28, 2007

Abate by

Dec 31, 2007

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $5,000

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 hazard of dust explosions during wood fiber and wood
flour production and
processing:
a.At American Wood Fibers, Building 1, employees were working on or near
the wood
pulverizing machinery in which System # 2 spark detection and fire
suppression system
was not tested and/or inspected at proper intervals thus exposing
employees to dust
explosions.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to correct this
hazard is to test
and inspect the spark detection and fire suppression system in accordance
with the
manufacturer's instructions and National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA)
664,
Standard for the Prevention of Fires and Explosions in Wood Processing and
Woodworking Facilities, Annex A, Table A.9.1.2.es,