OSHA Inspection: AUSTRALIS AQUACULTURE, LLC

Issued

Feb 2, 2009

Abate by

Feb 5, 2009

Penalty

Initial $1,125 · Current $1,125

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 in that
employees were exposed
to the hazard of falling into open pit(s) of water:
(a) NURSERY "E" and "F" SYSTEMS AT EAST AND WEST MIXER PARTICULATE
FILTER SYSTEMS WITH DRUM FILTER SUMPS --
EMPLOYEE(S) ARE REQUIRED TO STAND ON HORIZONTAL BEAM(S) IN NEAR
PROXIMITY TO GAP(S) OVER WATER PIT(S) WHICH MEASURE 13" WIDE BY 67" IN
LENGTH ON E-SYSTEM AND 13" WIDE BY 65" IN LENGTH ON F-SYSTEM WHILE
CLEANING NOZZLES ON THE DRUM FILTER SUMPS, EXPOSING SAID EMPLOYEE(S)
TO POSSIBLE FRACTURE(S), LACERATION(S) FROM FALL(S), AND/OR DROWNING
IN A PIT OF WATER APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET IN DEPTH.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE MEANS OF
ABATEMENT TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD, WOULD BE TO INSTALL GRATES OVER
THE OPEN GAPS OVER WATER PITS WHERE EMPLOYEE(S) CAN EASILY CLEAN
THE NOZZLES.