OSHA Inspection: O.K. COOPERATIVE GRAIN & MERCANTILE COMPANY

Issued

Aug 7, 2013

Abate by

Oct 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees:    Employees operating and working near the special purpose manlift in the feed mill  were exposed to fall and struck by hazards for the following items:     a)      The manlift door did not have an interlock installed to prevent operation of the manlift while the door was open exposing employees to fall hazards of approximately 25 feet.     Among one feasible and acceptable method is to install electrical interlocks on the car gate as stated in American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) A17.1-2010/CSA B44-10 2010 edition, as stated in paragraph 2.14.4.2 Door and Gate Electric Contacts and Door Interlocks.  2.14.4.2.1 Each car door or gate shall be provided with a door or gate electric contact conforming to 2.26.2.15, 2.14.4.2.3, and 2.14.4.2.5, or a car door interlock conforming to 2.26.2.28, 2.14.4.2.4, and 2.14.4.2.5.     b)      The upper level for the manlift was not provided with a hoistway landing entrance door exposing employees to fall hazards of approximately 25 feet.     c)      The basement of the feed mill was not provided with a hoistway landing entrance door exposing employees to struck-by hazards.     Among one feasible and acceptable method is to install a hoistway door at the upper landing as stated in American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) A17.1-2010/CSA B44-10 2010 edition, as stated in paragraph 2.11.1.1 Hoistway Landing Entrances. All elevator hoistway landing openings shall be provided with entrances that shall guard the full height and width of the openings. Entrances shall be at least 2,030mm (80 in.) in height and 800 mm (31.5 in.) in width.

Issued

Aug 7, 2013

Abate by

Oct 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(2): Floor(s) of workroom(s) were not maintained in a clean and, so far as possible, a dry condition:      Employees working in the north grain elevator and feed mill were exposed to fire and explosion hazards in that combustible dust was allowed to accumulate for the following locations:     a)      North elevator, over three inches deep at the far end of the gallery under and around the conveyor belt.  b)      Feed Mill upper level, dust was allowed to accumulate over 7 inches deep.  c)      Feed Mill basement next to the cooler, dust was allowed to accumulate 8 inches deep.  d)      Feed Mill basement, dust was over one foot deep in the boot pit.

Issued

Aug 7, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(j)(2)(ii): The employer did not immediately remove any fugitive grain dust accumulations whenever the exceeded 1/8 inch (.32cm) at priority housekeeping areas, pursuant to the housekeeping program for grain elevators:    Employees working in the north grain elevator were exposed to fire and explosion hazards in that combustible dust was allowed to accumulate for the following locations:     a)      Boot pit of the north elevator had over 7 inches of grain and dust over the entire floor.  b)      Horizontal surfaces such as the bucket elevator leg inspection door and casing had 0.5 inches of dust accumulations.

Issued

Aug 7, 2013

Abate by

Sep 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(a)(2): Ladderway floor opening(s) or platform(s) were not guarded by a standard railing with standard toeboard(s) on all exposed sides (except at the entrance to opening) with passage through the railing either provided with a swinging gate or so offset that a person could walk directly into the opening:   Employees performing inspections and maintenance on the feed mill distributor platform were exposed to fall hazards of approximately 60 feet in that the ladder opening was not protected.

Issued

Aug 7, 2013

Abate by

Sep 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,100 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) and toeboards:Note:  Toeboards are only required when persons can pass, there is moving equipment or there is equipment with which falling materials could create a hazard:  Employees working in the feed mill were exposed to fall hazards in that guardrail systems were not installed at the following locations:    a)         Top level of manlift.  There were no guardrails around the floor opening that the manlift travels through. b)         Feed Mill Roof.  The first round bin on the walkway to the roof of the feed mill bins does not have a guardrail on the inside portion of the roof exposing employees to a fall hazard of approximately 12 feet to the next lower level. c)         Feed Mill Roof that can be accessed from the fixed stairs.  The stairs lead to a small roof with inspection openings for checking bin levels.  Employees are exposed to fall hazards of approximately 10 feet to the next lower bin top. d)         Feed Mill Roof.  There is a small rectangular bin top that is just below one of the main round bin top.  This particular bin has to be accesses from a fixed industrial ladder.  The top of this bin does not have any guardrails exposing employees to fall hazards of 12 feet to the next lower bin.

Issued

Aug 7, 2013

Abate by

Sep 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(e)(1): Standard railing(s) did not consist of top rail, intermediate rail and/or posts and/or did not have a vertical height of 42 inches (106.7 cm) nominal from upper surface of top rail to floor, platform runway, or ramp level:   Employees performing inspections and maintenance on the feed mill bucket elevator leg were exposed to fall hazards of approximately 60 feet in that the platform on the tall bucket elevator leg outside was missing the mid-rail.

Issued

Aug 7, 2013

Abate by

Sep 3, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,100 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):    Employees were exposed to amputation and entanglement hazards in that pulleys located less than 7' from the floor were not guarded in the following instances:   1)  The drive pulleys on the conveyor at the end of the north annex tunnel were not guarded, located between 6" to 36" from the floor.   2)  The guard on the 1/4" pelletizer conveyor in the feed mill did not fully enclose the pulleys, located between 48" and 60" from the floor.   3)  The pulleys on the crimper in the feed mill were not guarded, the bottom end of the belt was located 42" from the floor.

Issued

Aug 7, 2013

Abate by

Sep 3, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(e)(3)(i): Vertical or inclined belt(s) were not enclosed by guard(s) conforming to the requirements specified at 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o):  Employees were exposed to amputation and entanglement hazards in that the vertical and inclined belts located less than 7' from the floor were not guarded in the following instances:   1)  The drive belts on the conveyor at the end of the north annex tunnel were not guarded, located between 6" to 36" from the floor.  2)  The guard on the 1/4" pelletizer conveyor in the feed mill did not fully enclose the belts, located between 48" and 60" from the floor.   3)  The belts on the crimper in the feed mill were not guarded, the bottom end of the belt was located 42" from the floor.

Issued

Aug 7, 2013

Abate by

Sep 3, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(f)(3): Sprocket wheels and chains which were seven 7 feet or less above floors or platforms were not enclosed:    Employees working in the basement of the feed mill were exposed to amputation hazards in that the drive chain and sprockets for the pellet cooler were not guarded.