OSHA Inspection: ALEXANDER COMPANY

Issued

Jan 18, 2013

Abate by

Feb 14, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $800 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.27(d)(1)(ii):     Cages or wells (except as provided in subparagraph (5) of this paragraph) conforming to the dimensions shown in figures D-7, D-8, and D-9 were not provided on ladders of more than 20 feet to a maximum unbroken length of 30 feet.    a) Exterior of the elevator structure, ground to elevator head; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, employees were exposed to a fall from a fixed ladder that provides access to the elevator head that does not have a cage installed from a height of approximately 25 feet down.     Note: Abatement certification IS required for this item.

Issued

Jan 18, 2013

Abate by

Mar 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $800 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(c)(2)(vi)(a):     Only approved power operated industrial trucks designated as EX shall be used in atmospheres in which combustible dust is or may be in suspension continuously, intermittently, or periodically under normal operating conditions, in quantities sufficient to produce explosive or ignitable mixtures, or where mechanical failure or abnormal operation of machinery or equipment might cause such mixtures to be produced.    a) Throughout grain handling facility; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, employees used a Hyster LPG powered industrial truck that was not rated for the environment that contained or had the potential to contain combustible grain dusts in the air.    Note: Abatement certification IS required for this item.

Issued

Jan 18, 2013

Abate by

Feb 14, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(q)(10):     Industrial trucks were not kept in a clean condition, free of lint, excess oil, and grease:    a) At the plant: On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the powered industrial truck (Hyster) was not kept clean of combustible grain dust accumulations.    Note: Abatement certification IS required for this item.

Issued

Jan 18, 2013

Abate by

Feb 14, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,400 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(d):     The employer did not develop and implement an emergency action plan meeting the requirements contained in 29 CFR 1910.38 (d).    a) Throughout grain handling facility; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the employer's plan did not provide for a means to announce or alert employees of an emergency including but not limited to fires.    Note: Abatement certification and documentation ARE required for this item.

Issued

Jan 18, 2013

Abate by

Feb 14, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(e)(1)(ii):     Employees were not trained on specific procedures and safety practices applicable to their job tasks including but not limited to, cleaning procedures for grinding equipment, clearing procedures for choked legs, housekeeping procedures, hot work procedures, preventive maintenance procedures and lock-out/tag-out procedures.    a) Throughout grain handling facility; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the employer did not provide for and/or ensure that each employee had been trained in the requirements of the grain handling standard.    Note: Abatement certification and documentation ARE required for this item.

Issued

Jan 18, 2013

Abate by

Feb 14, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(j)(1):     The employer did not develop and implement a written housekeeping program that established the frequency and the method(s) determined best to reduce accumulations of fugitive grain dust on ledges, floors, equipment, and other exposed surfaces:     a) Truck and rail car receiving area; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the employer had not implemented an adequate housekeeping program to include regular cleaning to prevent buildup of fugitive grain dust. Grain dust buildup reached depths of 1 3/4 inches or more.       b) Bucket elevator areas; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the employer had not implemented an adequate housekeeping program to include regular cleaning to prevent buildup of fugitive grain dust. Grain dust buildup reached depths of 1 3/4 inches or more.    Note: Abatement certification and documentation ARE required for this item.

Issued

Jan 18, 2013

Abate by

Feb 14, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,200 · Current $600 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(k):     Receiving-pit feed openings, such as truck or railcar receiving-pits, were covered by grates. The width of openings in the grates were greater than the maximum of 2 1/2 inches (6.35 cm):    a) Truck and rail car receiving area, barley receiving pit; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the grates covering the receiving pits had gaps up to 4 1/2 inches.    b) Truck and rail car receiving area, oat receiving pit; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the grates covering the receiving pits had gaps up to 4 1/2 inches.    Note: Abatement certification IS required for this item.

Issued

Jan 18, 2013

Abate by

Feb 14, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,200 · Current $600 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(m)(4):     The employer did not implement procedures for the use of tags and locks which would prevent the inadvertent application of energy or motion to equipment being repaired, serviced, or adjusted, which could result in employee injury.     a) Throughout grain handling facility; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the employer had not implemented the use of locks and/or tags in the workplace.    Note: Abatement certification IS required for this item.

Issued

Jan 18, 2013

Abate by

Feb 14, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,400 · Current $1,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(d)(1):     Pulley(s) with part(s) seven feet or less from the floor or work platform were not guarded in accordance with the requirements specified in 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o):     a) At the receiving bucket elevator head; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the drive pulley on the head rig were not guarded.     b) At the oat truck elevator boot; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the drive pulley on the boot were not guarded.    c) At four of the barley receiving tanks; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the drive pulley on the auger were not guarded.    d) At the oat dimple sizer; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the drive pulley on the sizer were not guarded.      e) At the Uniflo cylinder separator; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the drive pulley on the separator were not guarded.     Note: Abatement certification IS required for this item.

Issued

Jan 18, 2013

Abate by

Feb 14, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(e)(3)(i):     Vertical and inclined belts shall be enclosed by a guard conforming to standards in paragraphs (m) and (o) of this section:    a) At the receiving bucket elevator head; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the drive pulley and belt on the head rig were not guarded.     b) At the oat truck elevator boot; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the drive pulley and belt on the boot were not guarded.    c) At four of the barley receiving tanks; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the drive pulley and belt on the auger were not guarded.    d) At the oat dimple sizer; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the drive pulley and belt on the sizer were not guarded.      e) At the Uniflo cylinder separator; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the drive pulley and belt on the separator were not guarded.    Note: Abatement certification IS required for this item.

Issued

Jan 18, 2013

Abate by

Jan 31, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,200 · Current $600 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(2)(i):     All pull boxes, junction boxes, and fittings were not provided with covers identified for the purpose.     a) At the oat receiving bucket elevator; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the electric motor junction box was missing it's cover.    b) At the barley receiving tank augers; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the electric motor junction box was missing it's cover.    c) In the oat tower; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the conduit junction was missing its cover.    Note: Abatement certification IS required for this item.

Issued

Jan 18, 2013

Abate by

Feb 14, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(d)(1)(iv):     Stairways more than 44 inches wide but less than 88 inches wide, did not have one handrail on each enclosed side and one stair railing on each open side:    a) Stairs from the ground floor to the upstairs office; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the 49 inch wide stairs only had a handrail on one side.    Note: Abatement certification IS required for this item.

Issued

Jan 18, 2013

Abate by

Feb 14, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.157(e)(2):     Portable fire extinguishers were not visually inspected at least monthly:    a) Throughout grain handling facility; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the employer did not visually inspect all portable fire extinguishers monthly to determine that they were serviceable.    Note: Abatement certification IS required for this item.

Issued

Jan 18, 2013

Abate by

Feb 14, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.157(g)(2):     The educational program to familiarize employees with the general principles of fire extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage firefighting was not provided to all employees upon initial employment and at least annually thereafter:    a) Throughout grain handling facility: On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the employer's emergency action plan implied an expectation that employees would use extinguishers on small fires but did not provide training on their use.    Note: Abatement certification IS required for this item.

Issued

Jan 18, 2013

Abate by

Feb 14, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.176(f):     Rolling railroad cars. Derail and/or bumper blocks were not provided on spur railroad tracks where a rolling car could contact other cars being worked, enter a building, work or traffic area.    a) At the rail siding preceding the truck and rail car receiving area; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the employer did not utilize blocks or chocks on the wheels of the railroad cars located on the siding and staged for receiving/dumping grain.    Note: Abatement certification IS required for this item.

Issued

Jan 18, 2013

Abate by

Feb 14, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)(ii):     Prior to permitting an employee to operate a powered industrial truck (except for training purposes), the employer did not ensure that each operator has successfully completed the training required by this paragraph (l), except as permitted by paragraph (l)(5).    a) Throughout grain handling facility; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, all employees were not provided with training and/or evaluation prior to allowing them to operate a powered industrial truck.    Note: Abatement certification IS required for this item.

Issued

Jan 18, 2013

Abate by

Feb 14, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(4)(iii):     An evaluation of each powered industrial truck operator's performance was not conducted at least once every three years:     a) Throughout grain handling facility; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the employer was not evaluating all powered industrial truck operators every three years.    Note: Abatement certification IS required for this item.

Issued

Jan 18, 2013

Abate by

Feb 14, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(6):     The employer did not certify that each operator has been trained and evaluated as required by this paragraph (l). The certification did not include the name of the operator, the date of the training, the date of the evaluation, and the identity of the person(s) performing the training or evaluation:    a) Throughout grain handling facility; On or about July 25, 2012 and at times prior thereto, the employer did not maintain a list or record of employees who had been trained and authorized to operate the powered industrial trucks.    Note: Abatement certification IS required.