OSHA Inspection: GEO. KELLER & SONS CO.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Abate by

Jan 6, 2014

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $1,000 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:    Employees working on the platform on the back side of the mill were exposed to falling approximately 4.5 feet to the ground below because the area was not protected by a standard railing.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Abate by

Jan 6, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(e)(1)(ii):    Current employees, and new employees prior to starting work in the grain handling facility were not trained in the 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, preventative maintenance procedures, and lockout/tagout procedures:    Employees were exposed to fire and amputation hazards when working on the grain handling equipment, because employees were not trained in clearing procedures for choked legs, housekeeping procedures, hot work procedures, preventative maintenance procedures, and lockout/tagout procedures

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Abate by

Jan 6, 2014

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $1,000 Reduced

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 in the grain handling facility:     Employees were exposed to fire hazards within the facility because the employer did not implement a housekeeping program that established the frequency and methods to be used when cleaning up fugitive grain dust.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Abate by

Jan 6, 2014

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(m)(1)(i):    Preventive maintenance procedures in the grain handling facility were not implemented to provide regularly scheduled inspections of the mechanical and safety control equipment associated with dryers, grain stream processing equipment, dust collection equipment including filter collectors, and bucket elevators:    Employees working at the facility were exposed to fire and explosion hazards because the employer did not develop preventative maintenance procedures that included regular inspections of the grain processing equipment.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Abate by

Dec 30, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,000 Reduced

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:    Employees who perform servicing and maintenance functions at the plant are exposed to the unexpected energization of the equipment and energy control procedures had not been developed, documented, or utilized to ensure the energy is controlled during this and other service and maintenance operations at the facility.          *ABATEMENT NOTE* These energy control procedures would include a written lockout/tagout program, machine specific procedures, employee assigned locks and tags, a periodic inspection of the energy control procedures done at least annually, and employee training.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Abate by

Dec 30, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,800 · Current $3,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)(i):      The employer did not ensure that each powered industrial truck operator was competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely, as demonstrated by successful completion of training and evaluation specified in this paragraph (l):       Employees were exposed to struck-by hazards from powered industrial trucks, because prior to allowing employees to use the equipment, the employer did not ensure that each operator had completed training that included all of the truck and workplace related topics listed in the standard and completed an evaluation of the operators performance through practical exercises.    Geo. Keller & Sons Co. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.178(l)(1)(i), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 314846817, citation number 1, item number 3 and was affirmed as a final order on January 18, 2011, with respect to a workplace located at 909 Main St., Quincy, IL 62301.

Issued

Dec 23, 2013

Abate by

Dec 30, 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 paragraph (l) and shall include the name of the operator, the date of training, the date of the evaluation, and the identity of the person(s) performing the training or evaluation:  The employer did not document the required powered industrial truck training and evaluation for each operator.  There was no written documentation that included the operator's name, date of the training, date of the evaluation and/or the name of the person conducting the evaluation.  Geo. Keller & Sons Co. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.178(l)(6), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 314846817, citation number 2, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on January 18, 2011, with respect to a workplace located at 909 Main St., Quincy, IL 62301.