OSHA Inspection: C & B MUSHROOM CO.

Issued

Aug 20, 2014

Abate by

Jan 9, 2015

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $3,000 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 in that employees were exposed to fall hazards.     a)    Jobsite: Mushroom Houses 1-14, upstairs level  - On or about 3/4/14, the upstairs stairway floor openings were not guarded by standard railings consisting of top rails, intermediate rails, and posts on all open sides, with the exception of the entrance to the stairways, exposing the employees conducting mushroom growing activities to fall hazards.  The upstairs floor openings measured approximately six feet in length, 2 feet in width, with fall distances of (6) feet five (5) inches.     Abatement Note: Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable means of abatement would be to install standard staircase railings.    b)    Jobsite: Mushroom Houses 1-14, upstairs level, aisles 1-4 - On or about 3/4/14, employees were exposed to six (6) feet five (5) inch fall hazards when manually rolling up the wood platform planks in the four aisles at the end of each shift, and when manually rolling them down at the start of each shift.  The planks when rolled up, for the purpose of facilitating air flow in the mushroom houses, expose twenty seven (27) inch open and unprotected edges.    Abatement Note: Among other methods, some feasible and acceptable means of abatement would be to install swing or cantilever gates, overhead horizontal lifelines, or to carry out a practice as basic as rolling the planks over from the ground level using step ladders.    c)     Jobsite: Mushroom Houses 1-14, upstairs level, aisles 1-4 - On or about 3/4/14, employees were exposed to slip and fall hazards while working from the wooden platforms, six (6) feet five (5) inches above ground level, with gaps measuring up to nine (9) inches wide.  Employees were conducting mushroom growing activities.    Abatement Note: Among other methods, some feasible and acceptable means of abatement would be to fully plank the platforms or fitting the 9 gaps with ventilation devices.