OSHA Inspection: AMERICAN PULSES LTD

Issued

Aug 1, 2012

Abate by

Oct 22, 2012

Penalty

Initial $3,960 · Current $1,584 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(a)(5): Every pit and trapdoor floor opening, infrequently used, was not guarded by a floor opening cover of standard strength and construction. While the cover is not in place, the pit or trap opening was not constantly attended by someone or protected on all exposed sides by removable standard railings:    (a) On or about February 23, 2012 and at times prior thereto, employees were exposed to falling distances of approximately 10 feet down into Boot Pits such as but not limited to the Boot Pits in Elevator #1 and Elevator #2, while working in and around pits with the covers tied open or removed. The boot pit opening was an approximately 18 inch by 20 inch floor opening 10 feet deep. A removable railing or hole attendant was not used while the cover was opened.

Issued

Aug 1, 2012

Abate by

Aug 4, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,620 · Current $1,848 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.101(b): Section 3.4.5, Compressed Gas Association Pamphlet P1 1965, as adopted by 29 CFR 1910.101(b): Suitable pressure regulating devices must be used in all cases where gas is admitted to systems having pressure rating limitations lower than the cylinder pressure in accordance with appropriate standards of the Compressed Gas Association and the National Fire Protection Association.    (a) On or about February 23, 2012 and at times prior thereto employees were exposed to fire and explosion hazards from a damaged and unreadable acetylene regulator used in oxy-acetylene flame cutting and welding operations in the upper level of the Lintel Splitting Area.

Issued

Aug 1, 2012

Abate by

Dec 31, 2012

Penalty

Initial $3,960 · Current $1,584 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(a): Protective equipment was not used when necessary whenever hazards capable of causing injury and impairment were encountered:      (a) Employees who are required to load rail cars from platforms without fall protection are exposed to a fall of approximately 12 feet to the ground below from Elevator #1 without any means for employees to tie off.    (b) Employees who are required to load rail cars from platforms without fall protection are exposed to a fall of approximately 12 feet to the ground below from Elevator #2 without any means for employees to tie off.

Issued

Aug 1, 2012

Abate by

Oct 22, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,620 · Current $1,848 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2)(ii): The employer did not establish and implement those elements of a written program necessary to ensure that any employee using a respirator voluntarily was medically able to use that respirator, and that the respirator was cleaned, stored, and maintained so that its use does not present a health hazard to the user:      (a) On or about February 23, 2012 and at times prior thereto, employees were exposed to respiratory hazards while using negative pressure, half face piece respirators without elements of a written program in place to address respiratory hazards such as but not limited to, employee training on limitations on the respirator use and respiratory hazards to which they are potentially exposed, medical evaluation, respirator/filter selection, fit testing, and maintenance cleaning and storage.

Issued

Aug 1, 2012

Abate by

Oct 22, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,620 · Current $1,848 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4): When the employer decided that its employees would enter permit spaces, the employer did not develop and implement a written permit space entry program that complied with 29 CFR 1910.146:    (a) On or about February 06, 2012 and at times prior thereto, employees were exposed to respiratory hazards, such as but not limited to, being overcome with H2S, Carbon Monoxide gases or an Oxygen deficiency from entering spaces such as, but not limited to, boot pits and storage bins in Elevators #1 and #2 without a program to address hazards of permit space entry such as, but not limited to, testing the atmosphere for H2S, carbon monoxide, ammonia and phosgene gases prior to entering.

Issued

Aug 1, 2012

Abate by

Oct 22, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,620 · Current $1,848 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(j)(2)(ii): The employer did not demonstrate and assure, through the development and implementation of the housekeeping program that equivalent protection was provided:    (a) On or about February 23, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the employer did not ensure that employees were protected from dust deflagration hazards if the inside elevator leg mechanical parts overheated. Cleaning methods, techniques, or practices that were being used in Elevators # 1 and #2 did not keep Class II type of dust levels (approximately 1/2") from accumulating on equipment and ledges.

Issued

Aug 1, 2012

Abate by

Oct 22, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,620 · Current $1,848 Reduced

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:    (a) On or about February 23, 2012 and at times prior thereto employees were exposed to fire and explosion hazards from energized, unapproved conduit entering an unapproved junction box with holes in a hazardous location in Elevator #1 Head House top level. The area contained combustible dust with an Explosion Severity of 0.58.

Issued

Aug 1, 2012

Abate by

Oct 22, 2012

Penalty

Initial $6,600 · Current $2,640 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to fall hazards:      (a) On or about February 23, 2012 and at times prior thereto, employees were exposed to falling distances of approximately 40 feet down elevator shafts such as but not limited to Elevator #1 due to the lack of guardrails and lighting on the SHELBY Electric Powered Elevator.  (b) On or about February 23, 2012 and at times prior thereto, employees were exposed to falling distances of approximately 40 feet down elevator shafts such as but not limited to Elevator #2 due to the lack of guardrails and lighting on the Unidentified Hand Powered Elevator.    AMERICAN PULSES WAS PREVIOUSLY CITED FOR A VIOLATION OF THIS OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARD WHICH WAS CONTAINED IN OSHA INSPECTION NUMBER 29238 CIITATION NUMBER 01, ITEM NUMBER 001 AND WAS AFFIRMED AS A FINAL ORDER ON OCTOBER 20, 2011, WITH RESPECT TO A WORKPLACE LOCATED AT 606 FOURTH STREET, HINGHAM, MONTANA, 59528.

Issued

Aug 1, 2012

Abate by

Aug 31, 2012

Penalty

Initial $9,240 · Current $3,696 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(c)(1): Open-sided floors and/or platforms four feet or more above adjacent floor or ground level were not guarded with standard railings (or equivalent):    (a)	On or about February 23, 2012 and at times prior thereto employees were exposed to a fall of approximately eight feet while loading lentil splitting equipment from the north upper platform in the lentil splitting area due to missing guardrails.  (b)	On or about February 23, 2012 and at times prior thereto employees were exposed to a fall of approximately seven feet while loading lentil splitting equipment from the south upper platform in the lentil splitting area due to missing guardrails.      AMERICAN PULSES WAS PREVIOUSLY CITED FOR A VIOLATION OF THIS OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARD WHICH WAS CONTAINED IN OSHA INSPECTION NUMBER 29238 CIITATION NUMBER 01, ITEM NUMBER 004a AND WAS AFFIRMED AS A FINAL ORDER ON OCTOBER 20, 2011, WITH RESPECT TO A WORKPLACE LOCATED AT 606 FOURTH STREET, HINGHAM, MONTANA, 59528.

Issued

Aug 1, 2012

Abate by

Aug 31, 2012

Penalty

Initial $9,240 · Current $3,696 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(d)(1): Every flight of stairs having four or more risers was not equipped with standard stair railings or standard handrails as specified in paragraphs (d)(1)(i) through (v) of this section, the width of the stair to be measured clear of all obstructions except handrails:    (a)	On or about February 23, 2012 and at times prior thereto employees were exposed to a fall of approximately nine feet while accessing/regressing the upper floor in the lentil splitting area due to incomplete stair rails.  (b)	On or about February 23, 2012 and at times prior thereto employees were exposed to a fall of approximately seven feet while accessing/regressing the north and south upper platforms in the lentil splitting area due to incomplete stair rails.      AMERICAN PULSES WAS PREVIOUSLY CITED FOR A VIOLATION OF THIS OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARD WHICH WAS CONTAINED IN OSHA INSPECTION NUMBER 29238 CIITATION NUMBER 01, ITEM NUMBER 005 AND WAS AFFIRMED AS A FINAL ORDER ON OCTOBER 20, 2011, WITH RESPECT TO A WORKPLACE LOCATED AT 606 FOURTH STREET, HINGHAM, MONTANA, 59528.

Issued

Aug 1, 2012

Abate by

Aug 31, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(e)(1): The intermediate rail was not approximately halfway between the top rail and the floor, platform, runway, or ramp:    (a) On or about February 23, 2012 and at times prior there to, employees were exposed to fall hazards of approximately nine feet while working in areas such as but not limited to the landing to enter the electric man lift in Elevator #1.    AMERICAN PULSES WAS PREVIOUSLY CITED FOR A VIOLATION OF THIS OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARD WHICH WAS CONTAINED IN OSHA INSPECTION NUMBER 29238 CIITATION NUMBER 01, ITEM NUMBER 004b AND WAS AFFIRMED AS A FINAL ORDER ON OCTOBER 20, 2011, WITH RESPECT TO A WORKPLACE LOCATED AT 606 FOURTH STREET, HINGHAM, MONTANA, 59528.

Issued

Aug 1, 2012

Abate by

Aug 31, 2012

Penalty

Initial $7,920 · Current $3,168 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(c)(4)(i): Projecting shaft ends projected more than one-half the diameter of the shaft without being guarded by nonrotating caps or safety sleeves:    (a) On or about February 6, 2012 and at times prior thereto, employees were exposed to amputation hazards from unguarded shaft ends on the lentil splitting equipment. These unguarded shaft ends were approximately one foot to five feet above the floor.    AMERICAN PULSES WAS PREVIOUSLY CITED FOR A VIOLATION OF THIS OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARD WHICH WAS CONTAINED IN OSHA INSPECTION NUMBER 29238 CIITATION NUMBER 01, ITEM NUMBER 008b AND WAS AFFIRMED AS A FINAL ORDER ON OCTOBER 20, 2011, WITH RESPECT TO A WORKPLACE LOCATED AT 606 FOURTH STREET, HINGHAM, MONTANA, 59528.

Issued

Aug 1, 2012

Abate by

Aug 31, 2012

Penalty

Initial $9,240 · Current $3,696 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(c)(2)(i): All exposed parts of horizontal shafting seven (7) feet or less from floor or working platform, excepting runways used exclusively for oiling, or running adjustments, were not protected by a stationary casing enclosing shafting completely or by a trough enclosing sides and top or sides and bottom of shafting as location requires.    (a) On or about February 23, 2012 and at times prior thereto, employees were exposed to the hazard of being caught in the unguarded portions of the drive shafts while loading the hoppers from unguarded platforms on the lentil splitting equipment.    AMERICAN PULSES WAS PREVIOUSLY CITED FOR A VIOLATION OF THIS OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARD WHICH WAS CONTAINED IN OSHA INSPECTION NUMBER 29238 CIITATION NUMBER 01, ITEM NUMBER 008a AND WAS AFFIRMED AS A FINAL ORDER ON OCTOBER 20, 2011, WITH RESPECT TO A WORKPLACE LOCATED AT 606 FOURTH STREET, HINGHAM, MONTANA, 59528.

Issued

Aug 1, 2012

Abate by

Aug 4, 2012

Penalty

Initial $9,240 · Current $3,696 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(d)(1): Pulleys, any parts of which are seven (7) feet or less from the floor or working platform, were not guarded in accordance with the standards specified in paragraphs (m) and (o) of this section:    (a) On or about February 23, 2012 and at times prior thereto, employees using the restroom downstairs of the main office next to Elevator #1 were exposed to the unguarded belt and pulley of the air compressor.    AMERICAN PULSES WAS PREVIOUSLY CITED FOR A VIOLATION OF THIS OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARD WHICH WAS CONTAINED IN OSHA INSPECTION NUMBER 29238 CIITATION NUMBER 01, ITEM NUMBER 009 AND WAS AFFIRMED AS A FINAL ORDER ON OCTOBER 20, 2011, WITH RESPECT TO A WORKPLACE LOCATED AT 606 FOURTH STREET, HINGHAM, MONTANA, 59528.