OSHA Inspection: PHILLIPS MUSHROOM FARM INC.

Issued

2011-02-28 00:00:00

Abate by

2011-03-13 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7000.00 · Current $5000.00 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:
On or about 11/1/10 in the vicinity of 1011 Kaolin Road, Kennett Square,
PA, APA
section of the farm, Shiitake mushroom substrate preparation area.
Employees were
exposed to a fall hazard from approximately 9 feet high above ground level
while loading
grain by-products and saw dust from a platform directly into a mixing
vessel below.  The
employees did not have any means of fall restraint to prevent them from
falling into the
mixing vessel.  Neither the platform had guardrails on the front side.
While on the
platform the employees empty bags of grain products and sawdust into an
opening flush
with the platform.  The opening is approximately 20 inches in diameter.
The
unrestrained access to this opening is also a fall and asphyxiation
hazard, for  the mixing
vessel is a confined space approximately nine feet below the platform. A
feasible means
of abatement is to provide standard guardrail which can be removed to load
the platform.
In addition a mesh or bars can be place over the mixing vessel openings to
prevent
employees from falling into the confined space.
NOTE: ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION IS REQUIRED

Issued

2011-02-28 00:00:00

Abate by

2011-03-13 00:00:00