OSHA Inspection: H & I GRAIN OF HETLAND, INC.

Issued

Mar 5, 2013

Abate by

Apr 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(e)(2): Employees assigned special tasks in the grain handling facility, such as bin entry, were not provided training to perform these tasks safely:    (a) At H & I Grain located in Hetland, SD, where on or about 09/12/12, an employee was exposed to potential engulfment, atmospheric, and mechanical hazards when working in grain storage bin #3 shoveling grain products into the sumps while the grain storage bin was being emptied and the employer had failed to train employees in the hazards associated with this task.     (b) At H & I Grain located in Hetland, SD, where on or about 09/04/12, employees were exposed to potential atmospheric and mechanical hazards when working in grain storage bin #4 while the grain sweep auger was running and the employer had failed to train employees in the hazards associated with this task.

Issued

Mar 5, 2013

Abate by

Apr 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(3):  In the grain handling facility an observer, equipped to provide assistance, was not stationed outside the bin, silo, or tank being entered by an employee:    (a) At H & I Grain located in Hetland, SD, where on or about 09/12/12, an employee was exposed to a potential engulfment hazard where the employer failed to ensure that an observer was stationed outside the grain storage bin at all times equipped to provide assistance to the employee working in grain storage bin #3 shoveling grain products into the sumps while the grain storage bin was being emptied, the conveyor was running, and the observer had walked away to assist with unloading operations.      (b) At H & I Grain located in Hetland, SD, where on or about 09/04/12, employees were exposed to a potential amputation hazard where the employer failed to ensure that an observer was stationed outside the grain storage bin at all times equipped to provide assistance while employees were working in grain storage bin #4 while the grain bin sweep auger was running, and the employee serving as observer entered the grain storage bin to assist with operations.

Issued

Mar 5, 2013

Abate by

Apr 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(5): The employee acting as observer was not trained in rescue procedures, including notification methods for obtaining additional assistance:    (a) At H & I Grain in Hetland, SD, where on or about 09/12/12, an employee was exposed to a potential engulfment hazard when working in grain storage bin #3 shoveling grain products into the sumps while the grain storage bin was being emptied, and the employer had failed to provide training to the employee serving as entry observer in rescue procedures and notification methods for obtaining additional assistance.              (b) At H & I Grain in Hetland, SD, where on or about 09/04/12, employees were exposed to a potential amputation hazard when working in grain storage bin #4 while the bin sweep auger was operating, and the employer had failed to provide training to the employee serving as entry observer in rescue procedures and notification methods for obtaining additional assistance.

Issued

Mar 5, 2013

Abate by

Apr 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(1)(i): The employer did not issue a permit for entering bins, silos or tanks in the grain handling facility before the employees entered the bins, silos, or tanks:    (a) At H & I Grain located in Hetland, SD, where on or about 09/12/12, an employee was exposed to potential engulfment, atmospheric, and mechanical hazards when working in grain storage bin #3 shoveling grain products into the sumps while the grain storage bin was being emptied, and the employer had failed to issue a bin entry permit before the employee entered bin #3 verifying that entry conditions were safe.       (b) At H & I Grain located in Hetland, SD, where on or about 09/04/12, employees were exposed to a potential atmospheric and mechanical hazard when working in grain storage bin #4 while the grain bin sweep auger was running, and the employer had failed to issue a bin entry permit before the employees entered bin #4 verifying that entry conditions were safe.

Issued

Mar 5, 2013

Abate by

Apr 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(1)(ii): Prior to entry, all mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment which presented a danger to employees inside grain storage structures in the grain handling facility were not deenergized and disconnected, locked out and tagged, blocked off, or otherwise prevented from operating by other equally effective means or methods:    (a) At H & I Grain located in Hetland, SD, where on or about 09/12/12, an employee was exposed to potential engulfment, atmospheric, and mechanical hazards when working in grain storage bin #3 shoveling grain products into the sumps while the grain storage bin was being emptied, and the employer had failed to deenergize and lockout the conveyor to ensure that the employee would not be standing in, or working in, moving grain prior to employees entering grain storage bin #3.         (b) At H & I Grain located in Hetland, SD, where on or about 09/04/12, employees were exposed to mechanical/entanglement hazards when working in grain storage bin #4 while the grain bin sweep auger was running, and the employer had failed to deenergize and lockout the bin sweep auger prior to employees entering grain storage bin #4.

Issued

Mar 5, 2013

Abate by

Apr 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(1)(iii): The atmosphere within a bin, silo, or tank in the grain handling facility was not tested first for oxygen content and then tested for the presence of combustible gases, vapors, and toxic agents prior to employee entry:    (a) At H & I Grain located in Hetland, SD, where on or about 09/12/12, an employee was exposed to a potential atmospheric hazard when working in grain storage bin #3 shoveling grain products into the sumps while the grain storage bin was being emptied, and the employer had failed to first test the atmosphere inside the grain storage bin for oxygen content and then test for the presence of combustible gases, vapors, and toxic agents prior to employees entering grain storage bin #3.        (b) At H & I Grain located in Hetland, SD, where on or about 09/04/12, employees were exposed to a potential atmospheric hazard when working in grain storage bin #4 while the grain storage bin was being emptied, and the employer had failed to first test the atmosphere inside the grain storage bin for oxygen content and then test for the presence of combustible gases, vapors, and toxic agents prior to employees entering grain storage bin #4.

Issued

Mar 5, 2013

Abate by

Apr 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(1)(iv): The employer did not prohibit "walking down grain" and similar practices where the employee walks on grain to make it flow within or out from a grain storage structure, or where an employee is on moving grain:    (a) At H & I Grain located in Hetland, SD, where on or about 09/12/12, an employee was exposed to a potential engulfment hazard when working in grain storage bin #3.  The employee was on moving grain when shoveling grain products into the sumps while the conveyor was running, and the employer had not prohibited this practice to protect employees from grain engulfment.

Issued

Mar 5, 2013

Abate by

Apr 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(4): The employer did not provide equipment for rescue operations which was specifically suited for the bin, silo, or tank being entered:    (a) At H & I Grain located in Hetland, SD, where on or about 09/12/12, an employee was exposed to a potential engulfment hazard when working in grain storage bin #3 shoveling grain products into the sumps while the grain storage bin was being emptied, the conveyor was running, and the employer had not provided equipment for rescue operations which were specifically suited for the bin, silo, or tank being entered.     (b) At H & I Grain located in Hetland, SD, where on or about 09/04/12, employees were exposed to a potential amputation hazard when working in grain storage bin #4 while the grain sweep auger was running, and the employer had not provided equipment for rescue operations which were specifically suited for the bin, silo, or tank being entered.

Issued

Mar 5, 2013

Abate by

Apr 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.29(a):  The employer did not use an OSHA 300, 301 and 300A Form or equivalent forms for recording work-related injuries:    (a) At H & I Grain located in Hetland, SD, for an employee who experienced an amputation of the right leg below the knee when the employee's leg became entangled in a bin sweep auger in grain storage bin #4 on or about 09/04/12.