OSHA Inspection: THE CARROLLTON FARMERS' EXCHANGE COMPANY, INC.

Issued

Apr 13, 2012

Abate by

May 13, 2012

Penalty

Initial $3,000 · Current $1,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(a)(2):     Every ladderway floor opening or platform shall be guarded by a standard railing with standardtoeboard on all exposed sides (except at entrance to opening), with the passage through the railing either provided with a swinging gate or so offsetthat a person cannot walk directly into the opening.    a.     In the mill area over the office where employees climb a ladder to use a rubber mallett hammer to knock corn off the insides of the the hoppers, the employer failed to provide guardrailing and gate thereby exposing employees to a fall hazard.

Issued

Apr 13, 2012

Abate by

Apr 28, 2012

Penalty

Initial $3,000 · Current $1,200 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,      a.     On the back side of the cracker platform where employes work to clean the top of the bins, there was a area to the back of the platform which did not have a midrail thereby exposing the employees to a fall hazard.

Issued

Apr 13, 2012

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $720 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(a)(3):     Exit routes must be free and unobstructed. No materials or equipment may be placed, either permanently or temporarily, within the exit route. The exit access must not go through a room that can be locked, such as a bathroom, to reach an exit or exit discharge, nor may it lead into a dead-end corridor. Stairs or a ramp must be provided where the exit route is not substantially level.    a.     In the mill warehouse where grain and other materials were stored, the exit door to the rear of the warehouse wasblocked with 55 gallon barrels and other materials stacked in front of the door thereby exposing employees to a fire hazard.

Issued

Apr 13, 2012

Abate by

Apr 23, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(b)(2):     Each exit must be clearly visible and marked by a sign reading "Exit."      a.     In the mill, the door way from the mill through the control room was not marked with an exit sign thereby exposing employees to a fire hazard.

Issued

Apr 13, 2012

Abate by

May 13, 2012

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $720 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1):     The employer shall assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). If such hazards are present, or likely to be present, the employer shall:    a.     On the site where employees used personnel protective equipment to perform various tasks, the employer did not perform a personnal protective equipment assessment to include a certification of the hazard assessmrent.

Issued

Apr 13, 2012

Abate by

May 13, 2012

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $720 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(6)(i):     The employer shall conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure at least annually to ensure that the procedure and the requirements of this standard are being followed.    a.     On the site where lock-out/tag-out was performed, the employer did not perform a periodic inspection of the energy control procedures to determine problems or ajustments which need to be made to the program thereby exposing employees to a contact hazard.

Issued

Apr 13, 2012

Abate by

May 4, 2012

Penalty

Initial $3,000 · Current $1,200 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 operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips and sparks. Examples of guarding methods are-barrier guards, two-hand tripping devices,electronic safety devices, etc.    a.     In the bag feed area where a Sweet Manufacturing seed mixer was used, a guard was not placed over the auger wher the seed was mixed thereby exposing employees to a caught-in hazard.

Issued

Apr 13, 2012

Abate by

May 13, 2012

Penalty

Initial $3,000 · Current $2,160 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(d)(1):     Guarding. Pulleys, any parts of which are seven (7) feet or less from the floor or working platform,shall be guarded in accordance with the standards specified in paragraphs (m) and (o) of this section. Pulleys serving as balance wheels (e.g., punchpresses) on which the point of contact between belt and pulley is more than six feet six inches (6 ft. 6 in.) from the floor or platform may beguarded with a disk covering the spokes.    a.     On the top of the cracker platform where employees were required to clean and perform preventitive maintenance, their were two belts and pulleys which did not have a guard which completely enclosed the moving parts thereby exposing employees to a caught-in hazard.    b.     On the platform to the cracker leg there wa an unguarded belt and pulley which was not completely enclosed thereby exposing employees to a caught-in hazard.    c.      In the basement of the mill, the Prater Crusher had a belt and pulley which was not completly enclosed on the back side of the guard thereby exposing employees to a caught-in hazard.    d.      In the basement of the mill there was a belt and pulley to the surge auger which had a belt and pulley which were not completly enclosed thereby exposing employees to a caught-in hazard.

Issued

Apr 13, 2012

Abate by

May 13, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(f)(3):     Sprockets and chains. All sprocket wheels and chains shall be enclosed unless they are more thanseven (7) feet above the floor or platform. Where the drive extends over other machine or working areas, protection against falling shall be provided.This subparagraph does not apply to manually operated sprockets.    a.     On the top of the cracker leg where employees gained access to clean or perform maintenance, there was an unguarded chain and sprocket thereby exposing employees to a caught-in hazard.

Issued

Apr 13, 2012

Abate by

Apr 23, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,400 · Current $960 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(f)(1):     Motors and appliances. Each disconnecting means required by this subpart for motors and appliances shall be legibly marked to indicate its purpose, unless located and arranged so the purpose is evident.      a.     In the mill warehouse where disconnects were located which controlled the discharge augers outside the building, the disconnects were not marked as to he equipment it was associated with where it was not apparent which machinery was connected to the disconnecty thereby exposing employees to a contact hazard.

Issued

Apr 13, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.304(g)(5):     Grounding path. The path to ground from circuits, equipment, and enclosures shall be permanent, continuous, and effective.    a.     At the outside back loadout area where trucks are loaded with bulk feed, there was a extension cord used to keep the fuel heaters for the trucks powered during the winter which did not have a ground prong thereby exposing employees to a contact hazard.

Issued

Apr 13, 2012

Abate by

Apr 27, 2012

Penalty

Initial $3,000 · Current $1,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(1)(ii):     Unused openings in cabinets, boxes, and fittings shall be effectively closed.      a.     In the control room, the new port panel/bean roasting panel used to control power to the corn auger, had unsed opening in the bottom of the 240 volt energized electrical panel thereby exposing employees to a contact hazard.    b.     In the bag feed room where employees store and retrieve feed and other stock for sale to the public. there was a energized electrical panel beside the rabbit pellets which had 10 unused openings thereby exposing employees to a contact hazard.    c.      In the power room of the bag feed room, there was a energized 240 volt electrical panel which had two missing circuit breakers thereby exposing employees to a contact hazard.

Issued

Apr 13, 2012

Abate by

Apr 28, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(g)(2)(iii):     Flexible cords and cables shall be connected to devices and fittings so that strain relief is provided that will prevent pull from being directly transmitted to joints or terminal screws.    a.     In the mill warehouse, the wires to the bag sewing machine were pulled out from the main electrical connector and not installed with strain relief thereby exposing employees to a contact hazard.

Issued

Apr 13, 2012

Abate by

Apr 20, 2012

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $720 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(c)(4):     Faceplates for flush-mounted snap switches. Snap switches mounted in boxes shall have faceplates installed so as to completely cover the opening and seat against the finished surface.    a.     On the outside wall of the mill where trucks were loaded with bagged material for retail sale or unloading of materials, there was a energized electrical outlet with the cover missing from over top of the electrical plug ins thereby exposing employees to a contact hazard.