OSHA Inspection: SYFRETT FEED CO., INC.

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Abate by

Mar 6, 2014

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $3,500

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:    For the Syfrett Feed facility at 3079 NW Eighth Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972, as observed on or about 10/24/2013, fixed ladders throughout the facility accessing upper floor levels did not have swinging gates, nor were they offset,  to protect employees from falling down ladder openings at locations such as, but not limited to:    a) Fixed ladders accessing the feed building roof levels (first and second floors/roofs) b) Fixed ladder accessing MCC (motor control center) room/building roof

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Abate by

Mar 6, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:    For the Syfrett Feed facility at 3079 NW Eighth Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972, as observed on or about 10/24/2013, employees were exposed to fall hazards due to missing guardrails on walking/working surfaces around the building such as, but not limited to, the following:    a) The roof level of the first story accessed by employees was missing guardrails around its perimeter exposing employees who worked/walked in the area to falls of 8.5 feet. to the top of the MCC (motor control center) room and to falls of over 15 feet to the ground level.  b) The roof level of the second story was accessed by employees and missing guardrails around its perimeter exposing employees to falls of over 15 feet to the roof of the 1st story and to falls of over 30 feet to the ground below.  c) The roof level above the MCC (motor control center) room was accessed by employees and was missing guardrails exposing employees to fall hazards of over 10 feet.

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Abate by

Mar 6, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(c)(2): Runways four feet or more above floor or ground level were not guarded by standard railings (or the equivalent) and toeboards:       a) For the Syfrett Feed facility at 3079 NW Eighth Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972, as observed on or about 10/24/2013, catwalks at locations such as, but not limited to, the elevators above the cotton seed hulls tank were missing guardrails exposing employees to falls of over 30 feet to the ground below due to open sides and ends.

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Abate by

Mar 6, 2014

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $3,500

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(a)(8): Every floor hole into which persons can accidentally walk were not guarded:    a) For the Syfrett Feed facility at 3079 NW Eighth Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972, as observed on or about 10/24/2013, employees were exposed to trip or fall hazards due to open floor holes on catwalks accessed by employees to grease elevator bearings.

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Abate by

Feb 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $2,800

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) For the Syfrett Feed facility at 3079 NW Eighth Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972, as observed on or about 10/24/2013, employees were exposed to fall hazards of over 10 ft. while working on top of truck trailers next to/under upper platforms and silos. Fall protection equipment was not in place and provided to employees. Employees were exposed to fall hazards of over 10 ft. while working on top of trailers.

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Abate by

Feb 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1): The employer did not assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment:  a) For the Syfrett Feed facility at 3079 NW Eighth Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972, as observed on or about 10/24/2013, employees were exposed to fall hazards of over 10 ft. while working on top of truck trailers next to/under upper platforms and silos. The employer had not assessed the fall hazard and provided fall protection equipment for employees exposed to fall hazards while working on top of truck trailers.

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Abate by

Feb 12, 2014

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $3,500

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(1):  The employer did not evaluate the workplace to determine if any spaces were permit-required confined spaces:    a) For the Syfrett Feeds facility at 3079 NW Eighth Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972, as observed on or about 11/19/2013, the employer did not evaluate confined spaces to see if they were permit required or not. No hazard evaluation of confined spaces was available, and confined spaces throughout the facility such as, but not limited to, grain storage tanks having entrapment and engulfment hazards were not labeled as permit required confined spaces.

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Abate by

Feb 20, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:    For the Syfrett Feed mill facility at 3079 NW Eighth Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972, as observed on or about 10/24/2013 and 11/19/2013, the confined space program present at the facility was deficient in the following areas exposing employees to potential engulfment, entrapment, and asphyxiation hazards:    a) Measures were not implemented to prevent unauthorized entry to confined spaces. Employees worked directly outside of tanks routinely to clear off material with long poles at access hatches. These tanks contained entrapment and engulfment hazards due to conical bottom sections attached to screw conveyors and the presence of settling grain.  b) A hazard evaluation of confined spaces at the facility was not available for confined spaces such as, but not limited to, storage tanks/silos, mixers, and trailers. Storage tanks had entrapment and engulfment hazards present due to their conical bottom sections feeding screw conveyors and the settling grain that was contained inside them. A possible asphyxiation hazard was also present due to hazardous gasses being released inside the silos and low oxygen content.  c) Persons with active roles in the confined space program such as, but not limited to, authorized entrants, attendants, entry supervisors, or people who test and monitor the atmosphere in a permit space were not designated in the confined space program.  d) Procedures for notifying emergency rescue services were not in place. The employers stated policy was to call 911, but the local emergency services had never been contacted and coordinated with to ensure rescue capability and timeliness.  e) A system for the preparation, issuance, use, and cancellation of entry permits was not in place and available in the employers confined space program.  f) The following equipment was not addressed in the employers confined space program: equipment for testing and monitoring of confined spaces, ventilation equipment needed to obtain acceptable entry conditions, communications equipment for entrants and attendants present during confined space entries, employee personal protective equipment for all hazards not able to be safely engineered out, lighting equipment for employees, and equipment needed such as ladders for safe ingress and egress by authorized entrants were not addressed in the employers confined space program.

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Abate by

Mar 6, 2014

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $4,900

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i):  Procedures were not developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees were engaged in activities covered by this section:    a) For the Syfrett Feeds facility at 3079 NW Eighth Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972, as observed on or about 10/24/2013, specific procedures for equipment on which maintenance was performed were not developed. Equipment was located throughout the feed mill such as, but not limited to, drive motors, compressors, steam lines, hammer and pellet mills, and screw conveyors.  Hazardous energy existed in the forms of 220/240V electricity, high temperature steam, compressed air, and mechanically moving parts. Employees were exposed to Employees were exposed to amputation hazards, burns, crushing, and other hazards due to the lack of specific written procedures for lockout/tagout of the machinery on which maintenance work was performed.

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Abate by

Jan 29, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(f)(3)(ii)(D): Each authorized employee did not affix a personal lockout or tagout device to the group lockout device before working on the machine or equipment:  For the Syfrett Feeds facility at 3079 NW Eighth Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972, as observed on or about 10/24/2013, employees working on equipment throughout the facility did not use their own personal lock or tag to lockout the source of hazardous energy for the equipment they were working or helping to work on. Rather, a single lock/tag was used for all employees working in hazardous areas on/around equipment. Maintenance was performed on equipment throughout the facility such as, but not limited to:    a) drive motors for drags and bucket elevators, 220/480V electricity, mechanical energy from moving parts b) compressors, 220/480V electricity, high pressure compressed air  c) steam lines, high temperature d) hammer and pellet mills, 220/480V electricity, mechanical energy from moving parts e) screw conveyors, mechanical energy from moving parts, 220/480V electricity

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Abate by

Mar 6, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(m)(4): The employer did not implement procedures in the grain handling facility 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) For the Syfrett Feeds facility at 3079 NW Eighth Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972, as observed on or about 10/24/2013, specific procedures for equipment on which maintenance was performed were not developed. Equipment was located throughout the feed mill such as, but not limited to, drive motors, compressors, steam lines, hammer and pellet mills, and screw conveyors.  Hazardous energy existed in the forms of 220/480V electricity, high temperature steam, compressed air, and mechanically moving parts. Employees were exposed to amputation hazards, burns, crushing, and other hazards due to the lack of specific written procedures for lockout/tagout of the machinery on which mainntenance work was performed.

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Abate by

Feb 5, 2014

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $4,900

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A): Authorized employee(s) did not receive training in the recognition of applicable hazardous energy sources, the type and magnitude of the energy available in the workplace, and the methods and means necessary for energy isolation.   a) For the Syfrett Feeds facility at 3079 NW Eighth Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972, as observed on or about 11/19/2013, employees who performed maintenance on equipment at the facility were not trained on lockout tagout procedures, in that, they were not familiar with the location of disconnects for motors and other equipment they worked on. Employees were also not trained on safe methods of lockout, in that, they would perform maintenance work under another individual's lock, and would not apply a lock of their own. Maintenance was performed by employees on equipment such as, but not limited to the following:  1) drive motors for drags and bucket elevators, 220/480V electricity, mechanical energy from moving parts 2) compressors, 220/480V electricity, high pressure compressed air   3) steam lines, high temperature 4) hammer and pellet mills, 220/480V electricity, mechanical energy from moving parts 5) screw conveyors, mechanical energy from moving parts, 220/480V electricity

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Abate by

Jan 24, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $2,800

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.215(a)(4):  Work rest(s) on grinding machinery were not adjusted closely to the wheel with a maximum opening of one eighth inch:    a) For the Syfrett Feeds facility at 3079 NW Eighth Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972, as observed on or about 10/24/2013, employees used an abrasive wheel bench grinder with a gap measured to be 1.5 inches between the work rest and the abrasive wheel.

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.215(b)(9):  The distance between the abrasive wheel periphery(s) and the adjustable tongue or the end of the safety guard peripheral member at the top exceeded one fourth inch:    a) For the Syfrett Feeds facility at 3079 NW Eighth Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972, as observed on or about 10/24/2013, employees used an abrasive wheel bench grinder that was missing a tongue guard. A gap of 1.75 inches was measured between the abrasive wheel periphery and the peripheral safety guard. Employees were exposed to shrapnel hazards in event of a wheel shattering.

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,380 · Current $2,380

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.253(b)(4)(iii): Oxygen cylinders in storage were not separated from fuel-gas cylinders or combustible materials (especially oil or grease), a minimum distance of 20 feet (6.1 m) or by a noncombustible barrier at least 5 feet (1.5 m) high having a fire-resistance rating of at least one half-hour:  a) For the Syfrett Feeds facility at 3079 NW Eighth Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972, as observed on or about 10/24/2013, employees were exposed to fire hazards from the storage of oxygen cylinders right next to acetylene and propane flammable gas cylinders on the exterior wall of the maintenance shop.

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $2,800

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(g)(2)(i): Except as elsewhere required or permitted by Subpart S of Part 1910, live parts of electric equipment operating  at 50 volts or more were not guarded against accidental contact by use of approved cabinets or other forms of approved enclosures or by any of the means identified in paragraphs (A), (B), (C), and (D) of 29 CFR 1910.303(g)(2)(i):  a) For the Syfrett Feed facility at 3079 NW Eighth Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972, as observed on or about 10/24/2013,  Allen Bradley Powerflex 40 motor drive controller, rated for over 100V input voltage,  had exposed wiring and conductors present.

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(d)(1): On every building or other structure, or part thereof, used for mercantile, business, industrial or storage purposes, the loads approved by the building official were not marked on plates of approved design and securely affixed in a conspicuous place in each space to which they relate.    a) For the Syfrett Feeds facility at 3079 NW Eighth Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972, as observed on or about 10/24/2013, the load capacity of the wood floor and concrete floor used for storage of material above the office was unknown.

Issued

Jan 16, 2014

Abate by

Feb 20, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c): The employer did not develop and implement a written respiratory protection program with required worksite-specific procedures and elements for required respirator use:    a) For the Syfrett Feeds facility at 3079 NW Eighth Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972, as observed on or about 10/24/2013 AND 11/19/2013: Employer had selected respirators for employees to wear when entering confined spaces on site, and respirators were worn by employees on an as needed basis. A respiratory protection program was not in place at the facility to ensure that the correct respirator type was selected, respirators were safely maintained, employees were trained on how to safely use a respirator, employees using respirators received medical evaluations and were fit tested prior to respirator use, and all other requirements of 29 CFR 1910.134 were met.