OSHA Inspection: CASE FARMS, INC.

Issued

Apr 11, 2012

Abate by

May 31, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $6,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(3)(ii):     The point of operation of machines whose operation exposes an employee to injury, shall be guarded. The guarding device shall be in conformity with any appropriate standards therefore, or, in the absence of applicable specific standards, shall be so designed and constructed as to prevent the operator from having any part of his body in the danger zone during the operating cycle.    a.  At the Case Farms Processing facility located in Winesburg, Ohio the employer had a wing saw on Line 1 used to cut the wing and drum end of the chicken wings, that was not adequately guarded.  Employees pushed the meat through the saw blade to cut the bone and tendons of the wing.  On multiple occasions employees received injuries to fingers, such as, but not limited to amputations, cut tendons, and lacerations when the employees would cut through their personal protective equipment.    b.  At the Case Farms Processing facility located in Winesburg, Ohio the employer had a wing saw on Line 2 used to cut the wing and drum end of the chicken wings, that was not adequately guarded.  Employees pushed the meat through the saw blade to cut the bone and tendons of the wing.  On multiple occasions employees received injuries to fingers, such as, but not limited to amputations, cut tendons, and lacerations when the employees would cut through their personal protective equipment.    c.  At the Case Farms Processing facility located in Winesburg, Ohio the employer had a wing saw on Line 3 used to cut the wing and drum end of the chicken wings, that was not adequately guarded.  Employees pushed the meat through the saw blade to cut the bone and tendons of the wing.  On multiple occasions employees received injuries to fingers, such as, but not limited to amputations, cut tendons, and lacerations when the employees would cut through their personal protective equipment.    d.  At the Case Farms Processing facility located in Winesburg, Ohio the employer had a wing saw on Line 4 used to cut the wing and drum end of the chicken wings, that was not adequately guarded.  Employees pushed the meat through the saw blade to cut the bone and tendons of the wing.  On multiple occasions employees received injuries to fingers, such as, but not limited to amputations, cut tendons, and lacerations when the employees would cut through their personal protective equipment.

Issued

Apr 11, 2012

Penalty

Initial $5,500 · Current $250 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(2)(i):     All pull boxes, junction boxes, and fittings shall be provided with covers identified for the purpose. If metal covers are used, they shall be grounded. In completed installations, each outlet box shall have a cover, faceplate, or fixture canopy. Covers of outlet boxes having holes through which flexible cord pendants pass shall be provided with bushings designed for the purpose or shall have smooth, well-rounded surfaces on which the cords may bear.    a. At the Case Farms Processing facility, the employer had a junction box missing a cover, located at the back of the plant, behind the chicken feet packaing station, where boxes were brought down using the elevator.  The junction box housed the electrical wiring running to an interlock for the elevator to the upstairs section where the boxes were stored.

Issued

Apr 11, 2012

Abate by

Jun 17, 2013

Penalty

Initial $70,000 · Current $25,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.4(a):     Basic requirement. Each employer required by this Part to keep records of fatalities, injuries, and illnesses must record each fatality, injury and illness that:  Is work-related; and is a new case; and Meets one or more of the general recording criteria of  1904.7 or the application to specific cases of  1904.8 through  1904.12.      Case Farms Processing  1818 County Road 160, Winesburg, Ohio 44690.  The employer did not record the following workplace injuries and illnesses on the OSHA 300 Log for the calendar year 2011.      b.	On or about December 14, 2011 an employee suffered a puncture wound from a nail in a pallet that they had moved at the facility.  The employee went to Union Hospital where the employee had received a prescription.  d.	On or about October 31, 2011 an employee working on the de-bone line felt a pain in their side from the repetitive motion of their job, and was written restrictions for approximately 28 days.  e.	On or about November 11, 2012 an employee injured their thumb when a package sealer came down on it.  The injury involved approximately 5 days of restricted duty because of the restrictions written by the doctor, while the employee performed an alternate job.    h.	On or about December 15, 2011 an employee was bagging chicken thighs and felt a pop in their back when they went to lift a 40 pound box of chicken thighs.  The employee was seen at Union Hospital where they were written off work for one day.  i.	On or about December 27, 2011 an employee was operating a forklift when the forks bounced while attempting to lift the material, and caused the forklift to bounce, jarring the employees neck, resulting in an injury that required prescription medication.  k.	On or about December 13, 2011 an employee was opening re-run birds with a knife and cut his finger.  The employees restrictions were that they were unable to lift anything until the sutures were removed.  n.	On or about October 24, 2011 a garage employee was removing a tire from a trailer and felt a pain in their stomach.  The employee was seen at Union Hospital where they were written off of work for one day.  r.	On or about December 30, 2011 an employee received a 10.5 cm laceration to his left hand while reaching into a piece of unguarded machinery which resulted in approximately 30 days of restricted work activity.  t.	On or about November 14, 2011 an employee was cut with the knife of another employee as they were placing chickens onto the cone line.  The injury resulted in restricted work days.  u.	On or about October 17, 2011 an employee felt a sharp pain in their lower back while greasing fittings underneath a trailer.  The employee went to the hospital and was written off work for one day.  w.	On or about December 03, 2011 an employee smashed his finger between a pallet jack and a door jamb while moving a pallet of salt, which resulted in restricted work activity.