OSHA Inspection: WAUNETA MILLS LLC

Issued

2012-04-13 00:00:00

Abate by

2012-05-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4620.00 · Current $2310.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(1)(i):     The employer shall issue a permit for entering bins, silos, or tanks unless the employer or the employer's representative (who would otherwise authorize the permit) is present during the entire operation. The permit shall certify that the precautions contained in this paragraph (1910.272(g)) have been implemented prior to employees entering bins, silos or tanks. The permit shall be kept on file until completion of the entry operations.    The employer failed to protect employees from potential engulfment and atmosphere hazards associated with entering grain bins without having first followed the procedures involved with issuing an entry permit.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 112 N Arapahoe, Wauneta, NE 69045, where the employer has employees entering the grain bins without an approved entry permit.

Issued

2012-04-13 00:00:00

Abate by

2012-05-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4620.00 · Current $2310.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(1)(ii):     All mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment which presents a danger to employees inside grain storage structures shall be deenergized and shall be disconnected, locked-out and tagged, blocked-off, or otherwise prevented from operating by other equally effective means or methods.    The employer failed to protect employees from potential engulfment and caught between hazards associated with entering grain bins without having first locked out all hazardous pieces of equipment.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 112 N Arapahoe, Wauneta, NE 69045, where the employer had an employee conduct a bin entry while the auger system was operating, resulting in the employee being engulfed in feed pellets.

Issued

2012-04-13 00:00:00

Abate by

2012-05-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4620.00 · Current $2310.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(1)(iii):     The atmosphere within a bin, silo, or tank shall be tested for the presence of combustible gases, vapors, and toxic agents when the employer has reason to believe they may be present. Additionally, the atmosphere within a bin, silo, or tank shall be tested for oxygen content unless there is continuous natural air movement or continuous forced-air ventilation before and during the period employees are inside. If the oxygen level is less than 19.5%, or if combustible gas or vapor is detected in excess of 10% of the lower flammable limit, or if toxic agents are present in excess of the ceiling values listed in Subpart Z of 29 CFR Part 1910, or if toxic agents are present in concentrations that will cause health effects which prevent employees from effecting self-rescue or communication to obtain assistance, the following provisions apply.    The employer failed to protect employees from potential atmosphere hazards associated with entering grain bins without having first tested the air quality.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 112 N Arapahoe, Wauneta, NE 69045, where the employer has employees entering the grain bins without testing the atmosphere within the bin prior to entry.

Issued

2012-04-13 00:00:00

Abate by

2012-05-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4620.00 · Current $2310.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(2):     Whenever an employee enters a grain storage structure from a level at or above the level of the stored grain or grain products, or whenever an employee walks or stands on or in stored grain of a depth which poses an engulfment hazard, the employer shall equip the employee with a body harness with lifeline, or a boatswain's chair that meets the requirements of subpart D of this part. The lifeline shall be so positioned, and of sufficient length, to prevent the employee from sinking further than waist-deep in the grain. Exception: Where the employer can demonstrate that the protection required by this paragraph is not feasible or creates a greater hazard, the employer shall provide an alternative means of protection which is demonstrated to prevent the employee from sinking further than waist-deep in the grain.Note to paragraph (g)(2): When the employee is standing or walking on a surface which the employer demonstrates is free from engulfment hazards, the lifeline or alternative means may be disconnected or removed.    The employer failed to protect employees from potential engulfment hazards associated with entering grain bins without being equipped with rescue equipment, such as a full body harness with lifeline.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 112 N Arapahoe, Wauneta, NE 69045, where the employer had an employee enter Bin #7 without wearing a full body harness with lifeline, without a lifeline attached to the harness rescue teams resorted to cutting into the bottom of the bin to rescue the employee and ultimately he was buried alive and found dead from asphyxiation.

Issued

2012-04-13 00:00:00

Abate by

2012-05-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4620.00 · Current $2310.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(3):     An observer, equipped to provide assistance, shall be stationed outside the bin, silo, or tank being entered by an employee. Communications (visual, voice, or signal line) shall be maintained between the observer and employee entering the bin, silo, or tank.    The employer failed to protect employees from potential engulfment and atmosphere hazards associated with entering grain bins without having an attendant posted to observe the entrant during the entry.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 112 N Arapahoe, Wauneta, NE 69045, where the employer has employees entering the grain bins without an attendant posted at the entrance to observe the entrant throughout the entire entry.

Issued

2012-04-13 00:00:00

Abate by

2012-05-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $1980.00 · Current $990.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(j)(1):     The employer shall develop and implement a written housekeeping program that establishes the frequency and method(s) determined best to reduce accumulations of fugitive grain dust on ledges, floors, equipment, and other exposed surfaces.    The employer failed to develop a written housekeeping program.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 112 N Arapahoe, Wauneta, NE 69045, where the employer has employees working in the feed/flour mill without having developed a written housekeeping program as outlined in this subpart.         Wauneta Mills LLC dba Wauneta Roller Mills was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health Standard which was contained in OSHA Inspection number 314060039, Citation number 2, item number 1, issued on 5/19/2011, with respect to a workplace located at 112 N Arapahoe, Wauneta, NE 69045 and became a Final Order effective June 7, 2011.

Issued

2012-04-13 00:00:00

Abate by

2012-05-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(d):     Emergency action plan. The employer shall develop and implement an emergency action plan meeting the requirements contained in 29 CFR 1910.38.    The employer failed to develop and implement an emergency action plan.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 112 N Arapahoe, Wauneta, NE 69045, where the employer has employees moving and handling grain and grain products within a feed/flour mill without having developed a written emergency action plan that outlines the procedures employees are to follow in the event of an emergency such as a fire, severe weather, or other natural disasters.

Issued

2012-04-13 00:00:00

Abate by

2012-05-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(m)(3):     A certification record shall be maintained of each inspection, performed in accordance with this paragraph (m), containing the date of the inspection, the name of the person who performed the inspection and the serial number, or other identifier, of the equipment specified in paragraph (m)(1)(i) of this section that was inspected.    The employer failed to maintain a written record of each maintenance inspection conducted in the facility.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 112 N Arapahoe, Wauneta, NE 69045, where the employer has employees working and performing maintenance on equipment without maintaining a record of when and what was repaired.  Instances include but are not limited to:    i.  Employees lubing the augers systems throughout the facility.  ii.  Employees lubing the pellet press and the flour miller.  iii.  Employees lubing the conveyor belts systems throughout the facility.

Issued

2012-04-13 00:00:00

Abate by

2012-05-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1):     Employers shall develop, implement, and maintain at each workplace, a written hazard communicationprogram which at least describes how the criteria specified in paragraphs (f), (g), and (h) of this section for labels and other forms of warning,material safety data sheets, and employee information and training will be met, and which also includes the following:    The employer failed to develop a written HAZCOM program.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 112 N Arapahoe, Wauneta, NE 69045, where the employer has employees working with chemicals in the feed/flour mill without having developed a written HAZCOM program.  Instances of significant requirements of a HAZCOM program include but are not limited to:    i.  Labeling of all containers with chemicals.    ii. Training of employees on all the chemicals they work with.    iii.  Providing a Material Safety Data Sheet for every chemical on site.    iv.  Maintain a chemical inventory list to be used in balancing the requirement for MSDS for all chemicals.

Issued

2012-04-13 00:00:00

Abate by

2012-05-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8):     The employer shall maintain in the workplace copies of the required material safety data sheets foreach hazardous chemical, and shall ensure that they are readily accessible during each work shift to employees when they are in their work area(s).(Electronic access, microfiche, and other alternatives to maintaining paper copies of the material safety data sheets are permitted as long as nobarriers to immediate employee access in each workplace are created by such options.)    The employer failed to maintain material safety data sheets for the chemicals used within this facility.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 112 N Arapahoe, Wauneta, NE 69045, where the employer has employees working with chemicals in the feed/flour mill and was not providing access to material safety data sheets.

Issued

2012-04-13 00:00:00

Abate by

2012-05-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1):     Employers shall provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals intheir work area at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new physical or health hazard the employees have not previously been trainedabout is introduced into their work area. Information and training may be designed to cover categories of hazards (e.g., flammability,carcinogenicity) or specific chemicals. Chemical-specific information must always be available through labels and material safety datasheets.    The employer failed to provide employees with HAZCOM training.  This was most recently evident during the inspection of the facility located at 112 N Arapahoe, Wauneta, NE 69045, where the employer has untrained employees working with chemicals in the feed/flour mill.  Instances include but are not limited to:    i.  Employees using petroleum products such as grease and oil in the maintenance of the facility.    ii.  Employees using phosphine for fumigating for pests.