OSHA Inspection: ARDENT MILLS, LLC.

Issued

Dec 20, 2016

Abate by

Sep 1, 2017

Penalty

Initial $9,799 · Current $5,879 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.333(b)(2)(iv)(B): A qualified person shall use test equipment to test the circuit elements and electrical parts of equipment to which employees will be exposed and shall verify that the circuit elements and equipment parts are deenergized. The test shall also determine if any energized condition exists as a result of inadvertently induced voltage or unrelated voltage backfeed even though specific parts of the circuit have been deenergized and presumed to be safe. If the circuit to be tested is over 600 volts, nominal, the test equipment shall be checked for proper operation immediately after this test.    a. Located at the mill: On or about November 2, 2016 and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that employees were using electrical testing equipment to verify that the hazardous energy was removed prior to replacing fuses and resetting internal motor overload devices at 480 volt motor control center units, exposing the employees to an arc flash and arc blast hazard.

Issued

Dec 20, 2016

Abate by

Sep 1, 2017

Penalty

Initial $9,799 · Current $5,879 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.333(c)(2): "Work on energized equipment." Only qualified persons may work on electric circuit parts or equipment that have not been deenergized under the procedures of paragraph (b) of this section. Such persons shall be capable of working safely on energized circuits and shall be familiar with the proper use of special precautionary techniques, personal protective equipment, insulating and shielding materials, and insulated tools.    a. Located at the first floor of the Blend Plant: On or about October 12, 2016, an unqualified employee was instructed to reset the System B computer by opening up the panel cover and pulling out two eight amp, 120 volt, fuses. The employee did not wear electrical protective equipment and did not verify that the hazardous energy was removed prior to performing the work, exposing the employee to an electrical shock hazard.

Issued

Dec 20, 2016

Abate by

Sep 1, 2017

Penalty

Initial $9,799 · Current $5,879 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.334(b)(2): Reclosing circuits after protective device operation. After a circuit is deenergized by a circuit protective device, the circuit may not be manually reenergized until it has been determined that the equipment and circuit can be safely energized. The repetitive manual reclosing of circuit breakers or reenergizing circuits through replaced fuses is prohibited.   Note: When it can be determined from the design of the circuit and the overcurrent devices involved that the automatic operation of a device was caused by an overload rather than a fault condition, no examination of the circuit or connected equipment is needed before the circuit is reenergized.    a. Located at the mill: On or about November 2, 2016 and at times prior, qualified employees were resetting motor overload devices and replacing fuses at 480 volt motor control center units. The employer did not ensure that employees determined that the equipment could safely be energized prior to reclosing the circuits, exposing employees to an arc flash hazard.

Issued

Dec 20, 2016

Abate by

Sep 1, 2017

Penalty

Initial $13,718 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.335(a)(1)(ii): Protective equipment shall be maintained in a safe, reliable condition and shall be periodically inspected or tested, as required by 1910.137.    a. Located in room MCC 5 at the mill: On or about November 2, 2016 and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that the personal protective equipment used while performing electrical work inside the motor control center units was maintained in a safe and reliable condition which was free from damage and flour dust contamination, exposing employees to an arc flash and blast hazard.       b. Located in room MCC 2 at the mill: On or about November 2, 2016 and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that the personal protective equipment used while performing electrical work inside the motor control center units was maintained in a safe and reliable condition which was free from damage and flour dust contamination, exposing employees to an arc flash and blast hazard.