OSHA Inspection: MID-STATE FARMERS COOPERATIVE

Issued

Dec 2, 2015

Abate by

Feb 15, 2016

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $1,750 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 engaged in grain handling activities were exposed to fall hazards in that working platforms were not guarded with standard railings in the following locations:  a) The working platform used to access the boot pit from the basement was not equipped with standard railing exposing employees to fall hazards of approximately 8 feet from the working surface to the boot pit floor.  b) The working level on the back side of the manlift on the distributer floor was not equipped with standard railing exposing employees to fall hazards of approximately 100 feet from the working surface to ground level.  c) The auger access level/ tunnel to the right and left of the ladder used to enter or exit the basement level was not equipped with standard railing (or equivalent) exposing employees to fall hazards of approximately 8 feet from the working surface to the basement level.

Issued

Dec 2, 2015

Abate by

Feb 15, 2016

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $1,750 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(e)(1): Standard railing(s) did not consist of top rail, intermediate rail and/or posts and/or did not have a vertical height of 42 inches (106.7 cm) nominal from upper surface of top rail to floor, platform runway, or ramp level:  Employees engaged in grain handling activities were exposed to fall hazards in that working platform railings did not include an intermediate rail in the following locations:  a) The distributor/leg platform railing was not equipped with an intermittent rail exposing employees to fall hazards of approximately 10 feet from the working surface to the lower level.  b) The basement catwalk railing above the boot pit was not equipped with an intermittent rail exposing employees to fall hazards of approximately 8 feet from the working surface to the lower level.

Issued

Dec 2, 2015

Abate by

Feb 15, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,400 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.110(b)(6)(vi): 29 CFR 1910.110(b)(6)(vi): Readily ignitable material such as weeds and long dry grass within 10 feet of any container were not removed:    Employees engaged in grain handling activities were exposed to fire and explosion hazards in that long dry grass was not removed from under and around the propane tank located north of the office.

Issued

Dec 2, 2015

Abate by

Feb 15, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,400 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.110(d)(10): Precautions were not taken to prevent damage to LP gas system(s) from vehicular traffic.  Employees engaged in grain handling activities were exposed to fire and explosion hazards in that the propane tank located north of the office was not protected from vehicular traffic.

Issued

Dec 2, 2015

Abate by

Feb 15, 2016

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $3,500 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:  Employees engaged in grain handling activities were exposed to fall hazards in that ladderway openings were not guarded in the following locations:  a) The ladderway opening used to access the distributor/leg platform was not guarded exposing employees to fall hazards of approximately 10 feet from the working surface to the lower level.   b) The ladderway opening used to access the boot pit was not guarded exposing employees to fall hazards of approximately 8 feet from the working surface to the lower level.   c) Gate to access opening used to access the manlift on the distributor floor does not have an intermittent rail exposing employees to fall hazards of approximately 100 feet to the ground level.  d) The ladderway opening used to access the auger access level/ tunnel to the right and left of the ladder to enter or exit the basement level was not guarded exposing employees to fall hazards of approximately 8 feet from the working surface to the lower level.  The Mid-State Farmer's Cooperative, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.23(a)(2), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 944932, citation number 1, item number 2 and was affirmed as a final order on the third of February 2014, with respect to a workplace located at 100 N Railroad Ave, Timken, KS 67575.

Issued

Dec 2, 2015

Abate by

Feb 15, 2016

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $3,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(d)(1): Pulley(s) with part(s) seven feet or less from the floor or work platform were not guarded in accordance with the requirements specified in 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o):  Employees engaged in grain handling activities were exposed to amputation hazards in that pulleys associated with the screw auger located over bin one was not sufficiently guarded.  The Mid-State Farmer's Cooperative, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.219(d)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 944932, citation number 1, item number 3a and was affirmed as a final order on the third of February 2014, with respect to a workplace located at 100 N Railroad Ave, Timken, KS 67575.

Issued

Dec 2, 2015

Abate by

Feb 15, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(e)(3)(i): Vertical or inclined belt(s) were not enclosed by guard(s) conforming to the requirements specified at 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o)  Employees engaged in grain handling activities were exposed to amputation hazards in that the belt associated with the screw auger located over bin one was not sufficiently guarded.  The Mid-State Farmer's Cooperative, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.219(e)(3)(i), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 944932, citation number 1, item number 3c and was affirmed as a final order on the third of February 2014, with respect to a workplace located at 100 N Railroad Ave, Timken, KS 67575.