OSHA Inspection: INDIANHEAD EXPLORATION, LLC

Issued

Jan 27, 2015

Abate by

Mar 16, 2015

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

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. On or about July 29, 2014, the employer had not evaluated equipment on site such as but not limited to the burner furnace, rotary dryer, collector cyclones, storage silos to determine if these spaces were permit required confined spaces.

Issued

Jan 27, 2015

Abate by

Feb 23, 2015

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(i): The employer did not provide adequate training to ensure that the purpose and function of the energy control program was understood by employees:  a. On or about July 29, 2014, the employer had not provided adequate training to ensure that the purpose and function of the energy control program was understood by the authorized and affected employees that operated, serviced and maintained the wood pellet process equipment, such as but not limited to the burner furnace, rotary dryer, wet material feed auger, hammer mill and industrial fans.

Issued

Jan 27, 2015

Abate by

Dec 1, 2015

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

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:    a. On or about July 28, 2014, employees that removed the auger cover guards and placed their hands within the auger to clear jammed sawdust material had not affixed a personal lockout lock and tag to a group lockout device, being exposed to an amputation hazard.     b. On or about July 30, 2014, employees that placed the small pieces of wood as chock/blocks had their hands at the ingoing nip points between the rollers and the triple bypass rotary dryer drum and had not affixed a personal lockout lock and tag to a group lockout device, being exposed to amputation and crush hazards.

Issued

Jan 27, 2015

Abate by

Feb 23, 2015

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

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:  a. On or about July 29, 2014, employees worked at various locations around the triple pass rotary dryer drivetrain sprocket and chain that were not enclosed, being exposed to caught in and amputation hazards.

Issued

Jan 27, 2015

Abate by

Mar 16, 2015

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): Employer had not developed or implemented a written hazard communication program which included the requirements outlined in 29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1)(i) and (e)(1)(ii):   a. On or about July 29, 2014, employees worked with or around hazardous chemicals such as, but not limited to combustible dust, formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds, greases, and lubricants and the employer had not developed or implemented a written hazard communication program.

Issued

Jan 27, 2015

Abate by

Mar 16, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3): The employee training did not include the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3)(i) through (h)(3)(iv):  a. On or about July 29, 2014, the employer had not provided hazard communication training to employees that worked with hazardous materials such as, but not limited to combustible dust, formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds, greases, and lubricants.

Issued

Jan 27, 2015

Abate by

Mar 16, 2015

Penalty

Initial $56,000 · Current $10,500 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 was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to wood dust explosions, deflagrations, and fire hazards due to deficient design and /or implementation of preventive and/or protective measures in its wood pellet processing system and related equipment, such as the following:    a. On or about July 29, 2014, employees operated the wood pellet mill processing equipment to include screw and pneumatic conveyors, burner/furnace, triple-pass rotary dryer, cyclone, industrial fans, hammer mill, sawdust storage silo, pellet mills and pellet storage silo connected by pipes and ducts that were not protected by deflagration isolation systems such as flame arrestors, flame front diverters, spark detection and spark extinguishing equipment, employees were exposed to wood dust explosions, deflagrations, and fire hazards.

Issued

Jan 27, 2015

Abate by

Dec 1, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(2): The employer did not verify that the required workplace hazard assessment has been performed through a written certification which included the requirements as outlined in 29 CFR 1910.132(d)(2):    a. On or about July 29, 2014, the employer had not documented that a hazard assessment of the workplace had been conducted.

Issued

Jan 27, 2015

Abate by

Feb 23, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1): A written respiratory protection program that included the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix) with worksite specific procedures was not established and implemented for required respirator use:  a. On or about July 28, 2014, the employer required employees that operated the wood pellet mills to use tight-fitting half-face respirators and the employer did not have a written respiratory protection program that included the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix):  (i). Procedures for selecting respirators for use in the workplace;  (ii). Medical evaluations of employees required to use respirators;  (iii). Fit testing procedures for tight-fitting respirators;  (iv). Procedures for proper use of respirators in routine and reasonably foreseeable emergency situations;  (v). Procedures and schedules for cleaning, disinfecting, storing, inspecting, repairing, discarding and otherwise maintaining respirators;  (vii). Training of employees in the respiratory hazards to which they are potentially exposed during routine and emergency situations;  (viii). Training of employees in the proper use of respirators, including putting on and removing them, any limitations on their use and their maintenance;  (ix). Procedures for regularly evaluating the effectiveness of the program;