OSHA Inspection: ST FEED MILL, LLC

Issued

Dec 20, 2016

Abate by

Jan 25, 2017

Penalty

Initial $9,603 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The employer does not furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from the recognized hazards which are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to dust explosion, deflagration and fire hazards caused by equipment used to process animal feed:      a) During August of 2016, located outside the commodity barn where employees were exposed to deflagration and fire hazards from the explosion vents of the dust collector that did not provide protection from the fireball path.        b) During August of 2016, located outside the commodity barn where employees were exposed to deflagration and fire hazards when the dust collector was not equipped with a means to automatically shut down the system in the event of a deflagration.    c) During August of 2016, located outside the commodity barn where employees were exposed to fire hazards when the ductwork of the dust collection system was not equipped with access openings.      d) During August of 2016, outside the commodity barn where employees were exposed to deflagration and fire hazards when the cyclone of the hammer mill was not protected from explosion hazards.

Issued

Dec 20, 2016

Penalty

Initial $6,859 · Current $4,311 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(c)(1): Open sided floor(s) or platform(s) 4 feet or more above the adjacent floor or ground level were not guarded by standard railings (or the equivalent as specified in 29 CFR 1910.23(e)(3)(i) through (v)), on all open sides:        On or about August 24, 2016, on the west side of the bird seed bagging platform where employees were exposed to a fall hazard greater than 4 feet when accessing the platform for adjustments and cleaning without railing or an equivalent surrounding the entire side of the platform.

Issued

Dec 20, 2016

Abate by

Jan 25, 2017

Penalty

Initial $6,859 · Current $6,859

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.27(c)(4): The distance from the centerline of rungs, cleats, or steps to the nearest permanent object in back of the ladder was less than 7 inches, except that when unavoidable obstructions are encountered, minimum clearances as shown in Figure D-3 shall be provided.       a) On or about August 24, 2016, located at the pellet mill level where employees were exposed to a fall hazard when using the first set of fixed ladders to access a platform where the centerline of the top two rungs were less than 7 inches to nearest permanent object.      b) On or about August 24, 2016, located at the pellet mill area where employees were exposed to a fall hazard when using the second set of fixed ladders to access a platform where the centerline of the rungs were less than 7 inches to nearest permanent object.      c) On or about August 24, 2016, located at the pellet mill area where employees were exposed to a fall hazard when using the fourth set of fixed ladders to access a platform where the centerline of one rung was less than 7 inches to nearest permanent object.

Issued

Dec 20, 2016

Abate by

Jan 25, 2017

Penalty

Initial $5,487 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.27(d)(2)(i): Where an employee had to step a distance greater than 12 inches from the centerline of the rung of a ladder to the nearest edge of structure or equipment, a landing platform was not provided:          On or about August 24, 2016, located in the pellet mill area where employees were exposed to a fall hazard when using the fourth set of fixed ladders to access a roof without a landing platform.

Issued

Dec 20, 2016

Abate by

Jan 25, 2017

Penalty

Initial $6,859 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.27(d)(3):  The side rails of through or side-step ladder extensions did not extend 3 1/2 feet above parapets and landings:       a) On or about August 24, 2016, at the bird seed bagging platform where employees were exposed to a fall hazard when using a fixed ladder to access the platform without side rail ladder extensions on the right side.        b) On or about August 24, 2016, located at the pellet mill level where employees were exposed to a fall hazard when using a fixed ladder to access a platform without side rail ladder extensions.

Issued

Dec 20, 2016

Abate by

Jan 25, 2017

Penalty

Initial $9,603 · Current $4,800 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1): The employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.95(c) through (o) whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale, or equivalently a dose of fifty percent:      A pellet mill operator was exposed to continuous noise levels at 78.6% of the permissible daily noise exposure or an equivalent sound level of approximately 88.2 dBA during the 400 minute sampling period on 8-25-16; exposure calculations included a zero increment for the 80 minutes not sampled.

Issued

Dec 20, 2016

Abate by

Jan 18, 2017

Penalty

Initial $6,859 · Current $4,311 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1): One or more methods of machine guarding was not provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips and sparks:       On or about August 24, 2016, located in the bagging area where employees were exposed to struck-by hazards when operating a Chantland EC201 robot to stack animal feed bags on pallets without barrier guarding surrounding the entire operating envelope of the robotic arm.

Issued

Dec 20, 2016

Abate by

Jan 10, 2017

Penalty

Initial $6,859 · Current $4,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(j)(3): Compressed air was used to blow dust from ledges, walls, and other areas in grain handling facilities when machinery presenting an ignition source was not shut down, and/or when all other known potential ignition sources in the area:      On or about September 23, 2016, located in the grain pit unloading area where an employee was exposed to explosion and fire hazards during cleaning tasks with compressed air, without the Walinga Agri-vac vacuum being plugged into a receptacle that was ignition proof.

Issued

Dec 20, 2016

Penalty

Initial $13,718 · Current $8,230 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):      On or about September 23, 2016, located near the grain pit where an employee was exposed to caught-in hazards when operating a Walinga Agri-Vac for cleaning grain dust without enclosing two sets of pulleys on the vacuum.      The ST Feed Mill, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health Standard 1910.219(d)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 994617, citation number 1, item number 8a and was affirmed as a final order on March 9, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 7963 Allen Farm Road, Navasota, Texas 77868.

Issued

Dec 20, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(e)(1)(i): Horizontal belts which had both runs seven -7 feet or less from the floor level were not guarded with a guard that extended to at least fifteen inches above the belt:   On or about September 23, 2016, located near the grain pit where an employee was exposed to caught-in hazards when operating a Walinga Agri-Vac for cleaning grain dust without enclosing two sets of belts on the vacuum.    The ST Feed Mill, LLC was previously cited for a violation of an equivalent Occupational Safety and Health Standard 1910.219(e)(3)(i), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 994617, citation number 1, item number 8b and was affirmed as a final order on March 9, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 7963 Allen Farm Road, Navasota, Texas 77868.

Issued

Dec 20, 2016

Abate by

Jan 10, 2017

Penalty

Initial $19,205 · Current $13,443 Reduced

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 August 24, 2016, located below the pellet mill where employees were exposed to caught in hazards when operating a drag chain conveyor that feeds the pellet mill cooler without enclosing the end of the drag chain conveyor.      b) On or about August 24, 2016, located in the commodity barn where employees were exposed to caught in hazards when operating a drag chain conveyor to unload commodities without enclosing a section of the drag chain conveyor.      c) On or about August 24, 2016, in the bird seed mixing area where an employee was exposed to caught-in hazards when operating the drag chain conveyor for the bird seed without enclosing a section of the drag chain conveyor.      d) On or about August 24, 2016, located on the sweet line where employees were exposed to caught in hazards when bagging sweet feed without enclosing sprockets and chains that operate the belts for the weight feeders.    e) On or about September 23, 2016, located near the grain pit where an employee was exposed to caught-in hazards when operating a Walinga Agri-Vac vacuum for cleaning grain dust without enclosing the chain and sprockets.      The ST Feed Mill, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health Standard 1910.219(f)(3), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 994617, citation number 1, item number 9 and was affirmed as a final order on February 25, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 7963 Allen Farm Road, Navasota, Texas 77868.