OSHA Inspection: DIVERSIFIED FOODS AND SEASONINGS, LLC

Issued

Apr 8, 2016

Abate by

Apr 18, 2016

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · 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 was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees. Employees were exposed to health hazards associated with anhydrous ammonia:     On or about 10/16/2015, in the ammonia refrigeration area, during an ammonia release event employees were exposed to anhydrous ammonia while using the GasAlert Extreme ammonia detector that had not been calibrated and bump-tested.

Issued

Apr 8, 2016

Abate by

Apr 22, 2016

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $5,000 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 was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees. Employees were exposed to an asphyxiation hazard associated with nitrogen:     On or about 10/16/2015, the employer did not implement proper controls inside the spiral freezer to ensure that the release of nitrogen did not result in the displacement of oxygen.

Issued

Apr 8, 2016

Abate by

Apr 18, 2016

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $5,000 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 was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees. Employees were exposed to a struck-by hazard associated with a collapsing storage rack.     On or about 10/16/2015, in the loading dock area, the employer allowed employees to operate forklifts and access walkways near storage racks with the following deficiencies: missing anchor bolts, corroded and damaged structural components, no posted load ratings, and out-of-straight support columns.

Issued

Apr 8, 2016

Abate by

Apr 18, 2016

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $3,000 Reduced

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:    a) On or about 10/16/2015, on the roof condenser platform, the employer allowed employees to conduct rounds and make repairs near a ladderway floor opening which lacked a swinging gate to guard the passage through the railing.    b) On or about 10/16/2015, on the top of the emergency dump tank, the employer did not ensure that the passage through the railing of the ladderway floor opening was guarded by a swinging gate.

Issued

Apr 8, 2016

Abate by

Apr 22, 2016

Penalty

Initial $3,000 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(a)(8): Every floor hole into which persons can accidentally walk were not guarded:    On or about 10/16/2015, on the second level platform in the liquid nitrogen freezer room, the employer allowed employees to work from the platform more than 10 feet above the lower level and did not ensure that a 10 inch opening behind the liquid nitrogen freezer was guarded.

Issued

Apr 8, 2016

Abate by

Apr 22, 2016

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(b)(4): Every temporary wall opening did not have adequate guards:    On or about 10/16/2015, on the second level platform in the nitrogen freezer room, the employer allowed employees to work on the second level platform while placing the nitrogen freezer out-of-service and did not ensure that the freezer hatch was guarded when opened.

Issued

Apr 8, 2016

Abate by

Apr 18, 2016

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $2,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.24(b): Fixed stairs were not provided for access from one structure level to another where operations necessitated regular travel between levels, and for access to operating platforms at any equipment which requires attention routinely during operations:    On or about 10/16/2015, on the roof, the employer allowed employees to conduct daily inspections and routine maintenance of ammonia refrigeration equipment and did not provide fixed industrial stairs from the second floor to the roof or the ground to the roof.

Issued

Apr 8, 2016

Abate by

Apr 18, 2016

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $3,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.120(q)(2): The employer did not develop an emergency response plan for emergencies which addressed the following minimum requirements of this standard: 1910.120(q)(2)(i) through 1910.120(q)(2)(xii):    On or about 10/16/2015, at the facility located at 109 Highway 1085 in Madisonville, LA, the employer's emergency response plan did not include the following minimum requirements of the standard for an emergency release of nitrogen: Emergency recognition and prevention, safe distances and places of refuge, evacuation routes and procedures, emergency medical treatment and first aid, and PPE and emergency equipment.

Issued

Apr 8, 2016

Abate by

Apr 22, 2016

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $2,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.120(q)(9)(i): Members of an organized and designated HAZMAT team and hazardous materials specialist did not receive a baseline physical examination and/or was not provided with medical surveillance as required in 29 CFR 1910.120(f):    On or about 10/16/2015, at 109 Highway 1085 in Madisonville, LA, the employer did not ensure that members of the HAZMAT team received a baseline physical examination.

Issued

Apr 8, 2016

Abate by

Apr 18, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(a): Protective equipment was not maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition:    On or about 10/16/2015, at 109 Highway 1085 in Madisonville, LA,  the employer provided Tychem 10000 protective chemical suits for emergency use, but did not ensure that the suits were inspected and leak tested annually.

Issued

Apr 8, 2016

Abate by

Apr 18, 2016

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1): The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee was fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace:    On or about 10/16/2015, at 109 Highway 1085 in Madisonville, LA, the employer required employees to wear respirators during emergencies and when changing compressor oil and did not ensure that employees had received medical evaluations.

Issued

Apr 8, 2016

Abate by

Apr 18, 2016

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2): Employee(s) using tight-fitting facepiece respirators were not fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator:    On or about 10/16/2015, at facility located at 109 Highway 1085 in Madisonville, LA, the employer required employees to wear respirators with tight-fitting facepieces during emergencies and when changing compressor oil and did not ensure that employees received fit tests.

Issued

Apr 8, 2016

Abate by

Apr 18, 2016

Penalty

Initial $3,000 · Current $1,500 Reduced

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:    On or about 10/16/2015, in the maintenance shop, the employer allowed employees to conduct tasks such as operating a forklift in an area where oxygen and acetylene cylinders were stored next to each other without a fire resistant barrier.

Issued

Apr 8, 2016

Abate by

Apr 18, 2016

Penalty

Initial $3,000 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(1)(ii): Unused openings in boxes, cabinets, or fittings were not effectively closed:    On or about 12/15/2015, next to the roof access ladder on the second floor, unused openings in a breaker box were not effectively closed.

Issued

Apr 8, 2016

Abate by

Apr 18, 2016

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:    On or about 10/16/2015, at the facility located at 109 highway 1085 in Madisonville, LA, the employer allowed employees to work in areas where liquid nitrogen is used to freeze food and did not provide effective information and training. The employer allowed employees to work in areas with asphyxiants such as nitrogen, flammable gases such as acetylene, compressed gases such as oxygen, caustics such has sodium hydroxide, and anhydrous ammonia and did not provide effective information and training at the time of their initial assignment.

Issued

Apr 8, 2016

Abate by

Apr 18, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3)(iv):   The details of the hazard communication program developed by the employer, did not include an explanation of the labels received on shipped containers and the workplace labeling system used by their employer; the safety data sheet, including the order of information and how employee could obtain and use the appropriate hazard information:    On or about 10/16/2015, at 109 Highway 1085 in Madisonville, LA, the employer did not ensure that all employees were trained on the new format for safety data sheets, Global Harmonization System pictograms, new hazard rating system, and warning words.

Issued

Apr 8, 2016

Abate by

Apr 18, 2016

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:  On or about 10/16/2015, on top of the roof condenser, the employer allowed employees to clean nozzles and did not ensure that railing was provided to prevent a fall of over 10' in height.    Note:  Toeboards are only required when persons can pass, there is moving equipment or there is equipment with which falling materials could create a hazard.