OSHA Inspection: FRENCHMAN VALLEY FARMERS COOPERATIVE INC.

Issued

Apr 13, 2012

Abate by

Apr 28, 2012

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $4,900 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1):     Types of guarding. One or more methods of machine guarding shall be provided to protect the operatorand other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips andsparks. Examples of guarding methods are-barrier guards, two-hand tripping devices,electronic safety devices, etc.    The employer is failing to protect employees from potential amputation hazards associated with using improperly guarded power transmission outputs or PTOs and improperly guarded augers.  This was most recently evident throughout the inspection of the facility located at 71654 Road 380, McCook, NE 69001, where the employer has employees operating equipment with inadequate guarding.  Instances include but are not limited to:    i.  In the flat storage building on the south side of Hwy 6 the employer has employees operating a hand crank to an improperly guarded auger that moves the grain from the flat storage to the leg and out the facility.  The guard the employer had was two wood planks laying over the pit the unguarded auger was located, the boards are not secured with any fashion that requires a tool to remove and the grating under did not fully protect employees from accidental contact as evident in the accident where an employee had his foot amputated after getting caught in the auger.      ii.  In the flat storage building on the south side of Hwy 6 the employer has employees operating a International Harvester tractor model 1486 with an inadequately guarded power transmission output or PTO to the MK 130-91 plus auger that moves the train from the leg to the nearby bins.  The PTO currently has some wire grating bent around covering only 3 of the 4 sides of the moving parts and is improperly secured with bailing wire vs. having a method that would require a tool to remove it.    iii.  Outside of bin #14 the employer has employees using an improperly guarded tractor auger to move the grain out of a 2 deep pit and into loading trucks.  The tractor auger is backed into the pit leaving a 13  14 gap where by an employee could fall into the pit and get entangled with the auger during operation.    iv.  Outside of bin #14 the employer has employees using an Allis Chambers One-Ninety tractor along with an improperly guarded tractor auger to move the grain out of a 2 deep pit and into loading trucks.  The PTO from the tractor to the auger is not guarded against contact thus exposing employees to potential amputation hazards.

Issued

Apr 13, 2012

Abate by

Apr 28, 2012

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $4,900 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(c)(1):     Every open-sided floor or platform 4 feet or more above adjacent floor or ground level shall beguarded by a standard railing (or the equivalent as specified in paragraph (e)(3) of this section) on all open sides except where there is entrance toa ramp, stairway, or fixed ladder. The railing shall be provided with a toeboard wherever, beneath the open sides,    The employer is failing to protect employees from potential fall hazards associated with conducting grain bin entry by using an unguarded work platform.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of bin #8 of the facility located at 71654 Road 380, McCook, NE 69001, where the employer has employees using a company manufactured platform that can attach to the side of the bins by hanging off the bin entry door but has no guard railing installed to protect an employee of a fall more than 4 below.  Instances include but are not limited to:    i.  Employees conduct bin entry into Bin #8 on 11/20/11.    ii.  Employees conduct bin entry into Bin #8 on 12/1/11.    iii.  Employees conduct bin entry into Bin #8 on 12/2/11.    iv.  Employees conduct bin entry into Bin #8 on 12/15/11.    v.  Employees conduct bin entry into Bin #8 on 12/27/11.