OSHA Inspection: GREEN CIRCLE GROWERS, INC.

Issued

Nov 27, 2015

Abate by

Dec 15, 2015

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $5,000

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 pinch point hazards, including but not limited to, laceration and amputation hazards.        (a)  On or about July 1, 2015, the employer did not ensure that employees were protected from the hazards associated with the rotating plant indexer on the orchid staking line.  Employees were exposed to pinch point hazards where the rotating arms on the indexer created a pinch point between the arms and the plant conveyor.  Employees were routinely exposed to the hazard while working near the indexer and when removing obstructions from the indexer's photoelectric sensor.          (b)  On or about July 10, 2015, the employer did not ensure that employees were protected from the hazards associated with moving equipment on the cup stacker on the bar coding printer unit.  Employees were exposed to pinch point hazards from the moving components of the stacker when they reached into the unit and manually adjusted the cups and cleared jams inside the stacker.     Among other methods, feasible abatement methods to correct these hazards would be the following.  a) Use the guidelines of the American National Standards Institute, ANSI B11.19 -2010, Performance Criteria for Safeguarding, section 7.1 Design and Construction and Section 7.2 Installation and Operation.  Install fixed barrier guards around the moving components such that the employees cannot reach the pinch point by reaching over, under, around or through the guard; and,   b) Use the guidelines of the American National Standard Institute/ American Society of Safety Engineers, ANSI/ASSE Z244.1-2014, Control of Hazardous Energy Lockout/Tagout and Alternative Methods, Section 5.1.2 Program; Section 5.3 Lockout/Tagout Program; Section 5.3.1.2 Program; Section 5.3 Lockout/Tagout Program; and, Section 5.3.1.2 Hazardous Energy. Develop and implement energy control procedures to ensure that hazardous energy is neutralized before employees remove obstructions or clear jams from the equipment, machines or processes.