OSHA Inspection: HOWARD FERTILIZER & CHEMICAL COMPANY, INC.

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Jun 3, 2008

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,800 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 a fall hazard from catwalks while working at
fertilizer storage
and manufacturing areas:
a.At the Old Mill storage areas, and at the Old Mill Weigh Floor areas,
illumination
levels were measured and found to be 0.4 to 1.5 foot candles at the
storage areas and
0.3 to 2.5 foot candles at the operator's station at the Weigh floor which
does not
meet the requirements found on Table 1 of ANSI A11.1 titled Industrial
Lighting
RP-7 a publication of the American National Standards Institute and the
Illuminating
Engineering Society.  The employees are exposed to the hazard of falling
from the
catwalks due to the lack of adequate illumination.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to correct this
hazard is to
increase lighting at all work areas as addressed on Table 1 of ANSI A11.1,
Industrial
Lighting RP-7.
b.At the Old Mill area, employees were exposed to fall hazards from
catwalks
throughout the area, including, but not limited to, the catwalks next to
the inbound
conveyor systems at the 50 side and Clermont side, the catwalk flooring at
the Weigh
floor, pipe floor, shaker screen floor and top of the elevator floor. The
catwalks were
rusted to the point that employees were exposed to falling through the
grating.
Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct
this
hazard are:
1.Replace deteriorated sections of catwalks.
2.Follow the American Institute of Steel Construction, Inc.'s Manual of
Steel
Construction Allowable Stress Design and: ensure that structural components
are designed to tolerate corrosion, or are protected against corrosion that
impairs the strength or serviceability of the structure; and, ensure that
where
beams are exposed, they are sealed against corrosion of interior surfaces
or
they are spaced sufficiently apart to permit cleaning and painting.
3.Develop and implement an ongoing mechanical integrity program for
corrosion
prevention including inspections and the maintenance of a record that the
inspections were conducted.
4.Ensure that recommendations resulting from inspections are completed and
maintain a record to facilitate the evaluation of the corrosion prevention
program.

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Apr 3, 2008

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,800 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 struck-by hazard from collapsing building
structural components
or equipment:
a.At the Atrazine Mixer area, employees were exposed to a possible roof
collapse, in
that, the main support beams were coming off their supports and were
buckling. The
wooden rafters were compromised due to frequent exposure to rain water
which also
caused the roof to bow down thus exerting strain on the beams' support
ends.
b.At the old Mill area, the metal support struts, catwalk structural
support beams,
bracing, and other metal support structures were rusted and deteriorated
to the extent
that their structural integrity was compromised.
Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct
this
hazard are:
1.Replace deteriorated metal support struts, bracing, support beams, etc.
2.Prevent employees from accessing the hazard areas.
3.Follow the American Institute of Steel Construction, Inc.'s Manual of
Steel
Construction Allowable Stress Design and: ensure that structural components
are designed to tolerate corrosion, or are protected against corrosion that
impairs the strength or serviceability of the structure; and, ensure that
where
beams are exposed, they are sealed against corrosion of interior surfaces
or
they are spaced sufficiently apart to permit cleaning and painting.
4.Ensure that the structures meet local building code requirements by
having a
structural engineer evaluate the building frame, support beams for the
building
and catwalks and their supports.
5.Follow the engineer's recommendations and implement repairs necessary to
meet building code requirements by using a licensed contractor and ensure
the
building's structural integrity.
6.Develop and implement an ongoing mechanical integrity program for
corrosion
prevention including inspections and the maintenance of a record that the
inspections were conducted.
7.Ensure that recommendations resulting from inspections are completed and
maintain a record to facilitate the evaluation of the corrosion prevention
program.on

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Apr 3, 2008

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,800 Reduced

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Apr 3, 2008

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,400 Reduced

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Apr 3, 2008

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,800 Reduced

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Apr 3, 2008

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Apr 3, 2008

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,400 Reduced

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Apr 3, 2008

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,800 Reduced

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

May 16, 2008

Penalty

Initial $2,000

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Apr 3, 2008

Penalty

Initial $5,600 · Current $3,920 Reduced

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Apr 3, 2008

Penalty

Initial $8,000 · Current $5,600 Reduced

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Apr 3, 2008

Penalty

Initial $8,000 · Current $5,600 Reduced

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Apr 3, 2008

Penalty

Initial $8,000 · Current $5,600 Reduced

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Apr 3, 2008

Penalty

Initial $8,000 · Current $5,600 Reduced

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Apr 3, 2008

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,800 Reduced

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Apr 3, 2008

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,800 Reduced

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Apr 3, 2008

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,800 Reduced

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Apr 3, 2008

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,800 Reduced

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Apr 3, 2008

Penalty

Initial $8,000 · Current $5,600 Reduced

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Apr 2, 2008

Penalty

Initial $2,400 · Current $5,600

Issued

Mar 28, 2008

Abate by

Apr 3, 2008

Penalty

Initial $8,000