OSHA Inspection: WOOD FIBERS INC.

Issued

Mar 15, 2012

Abate by

Apr 14, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $4,900

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1):     All places of employment, passageways, storerooms or service rooms were not kept clean and orderly or in a sanitary condition:    On 10/07/2011, Class II combustible wood dust, which was generated from the transportation of wood dust to the wood pellet mills and from the dust collection system which serviced the wood pellet mills, cooling bin and wood pellet transportation line, was not kept clean from accumulating in places such as, but not limited to the following:    a)  Conveyor cover leading from the pellet mills to the cooling bin, dust accumulation of approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch.    b)  Electrical control boxes along the east wall of the pellet mill area, dust accumulation of approximately 1/4 inch.    c)  Heating unit located above the south exit.    d)  On ledges, electrical conduits, ventilation duct work and upper surfaces of the cooling bin and ripening bin.    e)  On the housing of motors for pellet mills, conveyors and the shaker table.    f)  Inside electrical cabinets located in the electrical room located along the east most wall of the facility.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.

Issued

Mar 15, 2012

Abate by

Apr 14, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(2):     The floors of every workroom were not maintained in a clean condition:    On 10/07/2011, Class II combustible wood dust, which was generated from the transportation of wood dust to the wood pellet mills and from the dust collection system which serviced the wood pellet mills, cooling bin and wood pellet transportation line, was not kept clean from accumulating in places such as, but not limited to the following:    a)  On the floor behind the pellet mills adjacent to the ripening bin.    b)  Piled on and around the motor adjacent to the saw dust hopper that serviced the furnace and adjacent to the tumble dryer unit.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.

Issued

Mar 15, 2012

Abate by

Apr 29, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $2,800

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1):     The employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.9(c) through (o) whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale, or equivalently a dose of fifty percent:    On 12/01/2011, the employer had not established a Hearing Conservation Program for employees exposed to noise which exceeded the 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) sound level of 85 dBA:    a)  A Pellet Maker employee was exposed to 60.31% of the allowable noise exposure. 60.31% is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA sound level of 86.3 dBA.    b)  A Laborer employee was exposed to 67.99% of the allowable noise exposure. 67.99% is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA sound level of 87.2 dBA.    c)  A Pellet Maker employee was exposed to 63.30% of the allowable noise exposure. 63.30% is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA sound level of 86.2 dBA.    All provisions of 29 CFR 1910.95(c) through (n) must be covered in a hearing conservation program. Key elements include, but are not limited to the following:    1)  Noise level monitoring  2)  Audiometric testing  3)  Wearing of hearing protectors  4)  Training program  5)  Providing copies of standard to employees  6)  Recordkeeping    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.

Issued

Mar 15, 2012

Abate by

Apr 14, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $4,900

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.307(c):     Equipment, wiring methods, and installations of equipment in hazardous (classified) locations were not intrinsically safe, approved for the hazardous (classified) location, or safe for the hazardous (classified) location:    On 10/07/2011, a bulk dust sample was collected and tested positive for a Class II combustible dust with a Kst value of 26.00 bar*meters/sec and an explosion severity of 1.90. Equipment in a Class II, Division I location were not intrinsically safe, approved for a Class II, Division I location, or safe for a Class II, Division I location such as but not limited to:    a)  Electrical control boxes along the east wall of the pellet mill area.    b)  Heating unit located above the southeast exit.    c)  Motors for the shaker table and the conveyor feeding the cooling bin.    d)  Electrical conduit running along the cooling bin, along the walls, above the pellet mills and throughout the facility.    e)  Wall mounted fan and junction box located in the north wall adjacent to the pellet mills.    f)  Electrical outlet located on the east wall of the pellet mill area adjacent to the electrical room entrance.    g)  Electrical cabinet located in the electrical room along the east most wall of the facility.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.

Issued

Mar 15, 2012

Abate by

Apr 5, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $2,100

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1):     The employer did not develop, implement, and/or maintain at the workplace a written hazard communication program which describes how the criteria specified in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f), (g), and (h) will be met:    On 10/07/2011, the employer had not developed or implemented a written hazard communication program when employees were working with hazardous chemicals such as Lithium Complex Synthetic Grease, diesel fuel and soft wood dust.    All provisions of 29 CFR 1910.1200(e) through (h) must be covered in a hazard communication program. Key elements include, but are not limited to the following:    1)  Labeling  2)  Complete MSDS collection  3)  List of hazardous chemicals  4)  Employee information and training    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.

Issued

Mar 15, 2012

Abate by

Apr 5, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8):     The employer did not ensure that material safety data sheets were readily accessible to the employees in their work area during each work shift:    On 10/07/2011, the employer did not ensure that material safety data sheets (MSDS) were readily accessible to employees working in the pellet facility when they were working with hazardous chemicals such as Lithium Complex Synthetic Grease, diesel fuel and soft wood dust.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.

Issued

Mar 15, 2012

Abate by

Apr 5, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1):     Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:    On 10/07/2011, the employer did not provide effective information and training to employees in the pellet facility when hazardous chemicals were in their work area such as Lithium Complex Synthetic Grease, diesel fuel and soft wood dust.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.

Issued

Mar 15, 2012

Abate by

Apr 5, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(2):     The employer did not verify that the required workplace hazard assessment had been performed through written certification that identified the workplace evaluated; the person certifying that the evaluation had been performed; the date(s) of the hazard assessment; and, identified the document as a certification of the hazard assessment:    On 10/7/2011, the employer did not verify that a workplace hazard assessment for the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) had been performed through written certification that identified the workplace evaluated, the person certifying and the date of the hazard assessment when employees were exposed to hazards such as but not limited to flying particles and noise.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.

Issued

Mar 15, 2012

Abate by

Mar 29, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2)(i):     Respirator users were not provided with the information contained in Appendix D to 29 CFR 1910.134 when the employer determined that any voluntary respirator use was permissible:    On 10/07/2011, employees who were provided with respirators for comfort use were not provided with the information contained in Appendix D of this section when the use of respirators was determined to be voluntary.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.