OSHA Inspection: MIN-DAK YEAST COMPANY, INC.

Issued

Feb 25, 2008

Abate by

Mar 27, 2008

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $1,500 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 hazards:
(a) At Min-Dak Yeast Company, Inc., for employees working in the yeast
packaging
room where the stored air pressure inside the plates of the yeast press
caused the plates
weighing approximately 80 to 100 pounds to be expelled from the yeast
press and
become airborne, exposing employees to the hazard of being struck by the
plates.
Feasible and acceptable methods to abate this hazard include, but are not
limited to:
1.  Disable or remove the maintenance switch on the yeast press to prevent
employees
from using this switch to attempt to open the yeast press during a yeast
press cycle.
2.  Integrate the indicator lights on the yeast press control panel with
the control room
instruments to ensure that when the yeast press is being operated in a
manual mode for
the purpose of entering more time to the squeeze cycle, the indicator
light to open the
press is not illuminated.
3.  Develop and implement written standard operating procedures for the
safe operation
of the yeast press in both automatic and manual modes.
4.  Develop and implement a written formal training program for employees
on the safe
operation of the yeast press.
5.  Develop and implement written procedures for regularly scheduled
preventative
maintenance inspections to include electrical circuitry checks of all
safety devices on the
yeast press and other equipment in the plant as well.
Abatement Note:  Abatement certification and documentation are required
for this item (see
enclosed "Sample Abatement Certification Letter").tion