OSHA Inspection: VAL-O-MO FARM, INC.

Issued

Mar 26, 2010

Abate by

May 5, 2010

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 immersion drowning hazards due to the lack of a farm
vehicle barrier guard
on a push-off platform of a manure slurry pit:
(a)Val-O-Mo Farm, Inc. & N971 County Road D in Elmwood, WI:  On or about
10/26/09, a 31 year old male farmhand was fatally injured by submersion
drowning when the John Deere 315 skid steer he was operating fell off the
end
of the push-off platform of a manure slurry pit during a manure transfer
process.
The end of the push-off platform was missing the farm vehicle barrier guard
originally designed and installed for protection.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE MEANS OF
ABATEMENT WOULD BE TO 1) COMPLY WITH THE GUIDELINES OUTLINED
IN NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE (NRCS) CONSERVATION
PRACTICE STANDARD FOR WASTE STORAGE FACILITY CODE NO. 313,
SECTION 11(C): "SAFETY STOPS, GATES, OR BOTH INSTALLED AT PUSH-OFF
RAMPS AND LOAD-OUT AREAS OF IMPOUNDMENTS AND STRUCTURES TO
PREVENT ACCIDENTAL ENTRY OF MACHINERY"; 2) COMPLY WITH
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF AGRICULTURAL AND BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERS
(ASABE) STANDARD FOR MANURE STORAGE SAFETY ASAE EP470 JAN1992
(R2005), SECTION 3.5: "PROTECTIVE BARRIERS OR RAILING AROUND
OPENINGS CAN PREVENT ACCIDENTS. PUSH-OFF PLATFORMS OR RAMPS
(PIERS) CAN BE A SITE WHERE THE TRACTOR SCRAPER DRIVER CAN
TUMBLE INTO AN OPEN STORAGE.  THESE SHOULD BE PROTECTED WITH
A STURDY RAILING OR SEMICIRCULAR METAL SUPPORT EMBEDDED IN
CONCRETE".
Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item.

Issued

Mar 26, 2010

Abate by

Apr 21, 2010

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $900 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 head and upper body trauma as the result as the alteration
of skid steer seat
belts so that the shoulder harness did not have to be worn during
operation:
(a)Val-O-Mo Farm, Inc. & N971 County Road D in Elmwood, WI: On or about
10/26/09 and times previous, farmhands operating the John Deere 315 and 320
skid steers were exposed to head and upper body trauma hazards as a result
of
altered seat belts. The shoulder harness had been knotted to the lap belt
so that
the lap belt could be used without the shoulder harness positioned across
the torso
of the operator.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE MEANS OF
ABATEMENT WOULD BE TO FOLLOW MANUFACTURER
RECOMMENDATIONS WITHIN THE OPERATOR'S MANUALS WHICH STATED
"USE AND MAINTAIN SEAT BELT. USE SEAT BELT WHEN OPERATING
MACHINE...EXAMINE SEAT BELT FREQUENTLY...REPLACE SEAT BELT
IMMEDIATELY IF ANY PART IS DAMAGED OR DOES NOT FUNCTION
PROPERLY...ON UNITS EQUIPPED WITH SHOULDER BELTS ALWAYS WEAR
BOTH THE SEAT AND SHOULDER BELT AND DO NOT LEAN FORWARD
WHEN OPERATING".
Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item.

Issued

Mar 26, 2010

Abate by

Jun 18, 2010

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $900 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 hazards such as, but not limited to; submersion,
roll-over, tip-over, amputation,
high pressure fluid injection, vehicle exhaust emmissions, fires, battery
explosion, chemical
contact, unintended machine movement, head and upper body trauma,
backover, and quick
coupler unintended release; as a result of operating skid steers without
reading and understanding
all manufacturer warnings and other safety instructions located on the
machine and within the
operator's manual:
(a)Val-O-Mo Farm, Inc. & N971 County Road D in Elmwood, WI: On or about
10/26/09 and times previous, farmhands operated the John Deere 315 and 320
skid steers without formal, supervised training and instruction including
careful
review of the operator's manuals.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE MEANS OF
ABATEMENT WOULD BE TO FOLLOW MANUFACTURE RECOMMENDATIONS
WITHIN THE OPERATOR'S MANUALS WHICH STATED "OPERATE ONLY IF
QUALIFIED. DO NOT OPERATE THIS MACHINE UNLESS THE OPERATOR'S
MANUAL HAS BEEN READ CAREFULLY, AND YOU HAVE BEEN QUALIFIED
BY SUPERVISED TRAINING AND INSTRUCTION."
Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item.

Issued

Mar 26, 2010

Abate by

Apr 28, 2010

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $450 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 electric shock hazards:
(a)Val-O-Mo Farm, Inc. & N971 County Road D in Elmwood, WI:  On or about
10/26/09 and times previous, farmhands working in the milk collection tank
room
were exposed to electric shock hazards due to a damaged flexible power
cord on
the Mueller Matic spray wash control panel. The cord was missing outer
jacket
insulation and had not method of strain relief near the connection to the
control
panel.  The exposed, insulated, conductors were partially covered with
electrician's tape.
(b)Val-O-Mo Farm, Inc. & N971 County Road D in Elmwood, WI:  On or about
10/26/09 and times previous, farmhands working in the milk collection tank
room
were exposed to electric shock hazards due to a standard quad outlet
electrical
box providing power to an antibiotic testing machine and a refrigerator
which was
located in wet area and was not approved for wet locations.  The outlet
box had
been covered with tape in an effort to prevent spray wash process
overspray from
entering.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE MEANS OF
ABATEMENT WOULD BE TO COMPLY WITH NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION
ASSOCIATION (NFPA) CODE: 70 (2005), NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE,
SECTIONS 110.2, 110.3, 312.2, 314.17, 314.15, 400.10.
Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item.

Issued

Mar 26, 2010

Abate by

Jun 18, 2010

Penalty

Initial $600 · Current $360 Reduced

Issued

Mar 26, 2010

Abate by

Jun 18, 2010

Issued

Mar 26, 2010

Abate by

Jun 18, 2010

Issued

Mar 26, 2010

Abate by

Apr 28, 2010

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $450 Reduced

Issued

Mar 26, 2010

Abate by

Jun 18, 2010