OSHA Inspection: BIOSOURCE FLAVORS INC.

Issued

Jul 19, 2017

Penalty

Initial $6,464 · Current $4,310 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1): The employer did not assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE):    (a)  A hazard assessment had not adequately evaluated thermal hazards associated with tasks involving steam lines and centrifuge. On or about April 4, 2017, on the West Side Fermentation area a worker  was exposed to burn hazards from inadvertent steam release when manipulating and tightening clamp connection to the steam jacket on Tank C.  The employer had not selected and have the affected employee(s) use adequate personal protective equipment to prevent thermal burns from steam.

Issued

Jul 19, 2017

Abate by

Sep 5, 2017

Penalty

Initial $4,310 · Current $4,310

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(6)(i): The employer did not conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure at least annually to ensure that the procedure and the requirement of this standard were being followed:  (a) The employer did not conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control (lockout/tagout) procedure(s) for equipment, including but not limited to the East Pelletizer 1,2 and West Pelletizer, the Fermentation Tanks (East 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, 8, 9; Center 1, 2, 3 and West 1, 2, 3 & West Small Tanks 1 & 2, and Autoclave East Center & West.

Issued

Jul 19, 2017

Abate by

Sep 29, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A): Authorized employee(s) did not receive training in the recognition of applicable hazardous energy sources, the type and magnitude of the energy available in the workplace, and the methods and means necessary for energy isolation:    (a) Employees who were authorized to employ energy control procedures (lockout/tagout) during maintenance activities on equipment such as, but not limited to Fermentation Tanks, Pelletizers, Centrifuges, and Autoclaves were not provided adequate training regarding recognition of applicable energy sources, which included but were not limited to, electrical, mechanical, thermal (steam), chemical (ammonium hydroxide and liquid nitrogen) and gravity.  Training on methods and means necessary for energy isolation was not adequate regarding the following elements:     - methods to follow when locking out gas valves,     - how to verify the effectiveness of energy isolation and the requirement to perform this step prior to proceeding with maintenance,     - the group lockout/tagout procedure required to be followed when two or more authorized employees are involved in performing maintenance on the same machine or equipment.

Issued

Jul 19, 2017

Abate by

Sep 5, 2017

Penalty

Initial $4,310 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(d): At this establishment, the established procedures for the application of energy control (the lockout and tagout procedures) did not cover the following six elements in the following sequence: (1) Preparation for shutdown (2) Machine or equipment shutdown (3) Machine or equipment isolation (4) Lockout or tagout device application (5) Stored energy, and (6) Verification of isolation.    (a)  Established energy control procedure for the "East Pelletizer 1,2 and West Pelletizer", did not adequately cover step:    (1)"Preparation for shutdown" in that the type(s) and magnitude(s) of hazardous energy were not listed. This equipment includes a culture pump and an auger which are electrically powered, but there was no explicit listing of electrical  hazardous energy sources, nor were their magnitudes listed.  This procedure also made reference to liquid nitrogen (the procedure states: "Make sure liquid nitrogen is exhausted before operating on pelletizer"), but did not list liquid nitrogen as a hazardous energy source, nor was the magnitude (i.e. quantity) of liquid nitrogen listed.       (b)  The  energy control procedure for the "East Pelletizer 1,2 and West Pelletizer" did not adequately cover step (3) "Machine or equipment isolation".   The procedure specified: "turn off auger switch #32   (to the right side of switch #32-1)".  However, inspection of  the auger switch indicated that it was actually labeled as  #32-2 and was located to the left side of switch #32-1.    (c) The energy control procedure for the "East Pelletizer 1,2 and West Pelletizer" did not adequately cover step (4)  "Lockout or tagout device application".  This procedure did not specify type(s) of lockout devices to be used and where to apply them.      (d) The energy control procedure for the "East Pelletizer 1,2 and West Pelletizer", did not adequately cover step (6)" Verification of isolation".  No procedural step(s) were included for testing the equipment to determine and verify the effectiveness of the lockout devices and energy control procedures.    (e) The energy control procedure for the "Fermentation Tanks East 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, 8, 9; Center 1, 2, 3 and West 1, 2, 3 & West Small Tanks 1 & 2" did not did not adequately cover step (1)"Preparation for shutdown"   in that the magnitude(s) of hazardous energy were not listed. This procedure made reference to "Steam/Cold Water", "Agitators" (electrically powered), and "Ammonia Lines", but did not explicitly list the magnitude(s) of these hazardous energy sources.     (f) The energy control procedure for the "Fermentation Tanks East 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, 8, 9; Center 1, 2, 3 and West 1, 2, 3 & West Small Tanks 1 & 2" did not adequately cover step (4)  "Lockout or tagout device application" This procedure did not specify type(s) of lockout devices to be used and where to apply them.      (g) The energy control procedure for the "Fermentation Tanks East 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, 8, 9; Center 1, 2, 3 and West 1, 2, 3 & West Small Tanks 1 & 2"  did not adequately cover step (6)"Verification of isolation".  No procedural step(s) were included for testing the equipment to determine and verify the effectiveness of the lockout devices and energy control procedures.

Issued

Jul 19, 2017

Abate by

Aug 14, 2017

Penalty

Initial $4,310 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): The employer did not develop, implement, and/or maintain at the workplace a written hazard communication program which describes how the criteria specified in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f), (g), and (h) will be met:    (a) The employer had not developed a written hazard communication program that covered at least the following information:    1) A description of labeling information on received containers, which are required to be labeled in accordance with HazCom 2012,  including product identity, pictogram(s), hazard statement, signal word, and precautionary statement(s);    2) A description of any  in-house labeling system used to convey  required workplace label information;    3) Safety Data Sheet (SDS) availability;    4) A description of how training will be provided regarding the hazards of the chemicals in the work area to each new worker prior to being exposed to hazardous chemicals and prior to introducing a new chemical hazard into the work area;    5) A complete list of hazardous chemicals known to be in the workplace;    6) Methods to inform employees of the hazards of non-routine tasks;    7) Methods to inform other employer(s) of  safety data sheet availability, the labeling system, and any precautionary measures necessary to protect employees.    Workers have exposure to hazardous chemicals including, but not limited to Sodium Hypochlorite 12.5%, liquid nitrogen, and ammonia.

Issued

Jul 19, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(g)(1)(i): The dimension of the working space in the direction of access to live parts operating at 600 volts or less and likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance while alive was less than indicated in Table S1:  (a) In the  Electrical Room, the clearance space in front of two 240 volt circuit breaker panels was limited to 23 inches due to a work bench that was positioned in front of it.