OSHA Inspection: AGROWSTAR, LLC

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Abate by

Jan 25, 2018

Penalty

Initial $5,577 · Current $2,789 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(d)(7): 29 CFR 1910.23(d)(7): Grab bars did not extend 42 inches (1.1m) above the access level or landing platforms served by the ladder.         (a) Receiving shed, on or about and at times preceding to August 1, 2017, receiving pit hatchway opening was not provided with a grab bar to facilitate exit and entrance into the receiving pit.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Abate by

Jan 25, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(3)(v)(A):  At the hatchway opening, a standard guardrail system (removable) was not installed that would leave only the exposed side open.  When the hatchway is not in use, the employer must ensure that it is closed:      (a) Receiving shed, on or about and at times preceding to August 1, 2017, hatchway to the receiving pit was not provided standard guard railings when open.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Abate by

Jan 25, 2018

Penalty

Initial $5,577 · Current $2,789 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1)(i): The employer did not ensure that each employee on a walking-working surface with an unprotected side or edge that was 4 feet (1.2 m) or more above a lower level was protected from falling by one or more of the following:  Guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems:    (a) Dryer pit, on or about and at times preceding to August 1, 2017, the Dryer pit was not equipped with a standard guard railing system in that it was missing a mid-rail.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Abate by

Jan 25, 2018

Penalty

Initial $6,973 · Current $3,487 Reduced

Hazardous substances C730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(2): The employer did not inform exposed employees, by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means, of the existence and location of and the danger posed by the permit spaces:    (a) At the facility, on or about and at times preceding to August 1, 2017, the employer had not placarded/identified the elevator pits as being permit required confined spaces.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Abate by

Jan 25, 2018

Penalty

Initial $6,973 · Current $3,487 Reduced

Hazardous substances C730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4): When the employer decided that its employees would enter permit spaces, the employer did not develop and implement a written permit space entry program that complied with 29 CFR 1910.146    (a) At the facility, on or about and at times preceding to August 1, 2017, the employer had not developed and implemented the procedures in the written permit required confined space entry program for employees who enter elevator pits.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Abate by

Jan 25, 2018

Penalty

Initial $6,973 · Current $3,487 Reduced

Hazardous substances C730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(g)(1): The employer did not provide training so that all employees whose work was regulated by 29 CFR 1910.146 (permit required confined spaces) acquired the understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary for the safe performance of the duties assigned under 29 CFR 1910.146:     (a) At the facility, on or about and at times preceding to August 1, 2017, the employer had not established a procedures for permit required confined space entries for employees who enter elevator pits to grease bearings and sweep on a bimonthly basis.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Abate by

Jan 25, 2018

Penalty

Initial $6,973 · Current $3,487 Reduced

Hazardous substances C730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(k)(1)(i): The employer did not evaluate a prospective rescuer's ability to respond to a rescue summons in a timely manner, considering the hazard(s) identified:    a) At the facility, on or about July 10, 2017 and at times prior to, the employer had not previously evaluated the ability of the emergency rescue services (911) to provide timely rescue in a permit required confined space (pits) containing a potential hazardous atmosphere.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Abate by

Jan 25, 2018

Penalty

Initial $6,973 · Current $3,487 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(1): The employer did not establish a program consisting of an energy control procedure, employee training and periodic inspections to ensure that before any employee performed any servicing or maintenance on a machine or equipment where the unexpected energizing, startup or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the machine or equipment shall be isolated from the energy source and rendered inoperative:    (a) Yard Area, on or about and at times preceding to August 1, 2017, for employees who perform maintenance, servicing, and repairs,  employee training had not been conducted, group lockout procedures had not been implemented and periodic evaluations had not been performed when working with augers, bucket elevators, and motors.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Penalty

Initial $6,973 · Current $3,487 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(5): Fan blade guards, where the periphery of the blades was less than seven feet above the floor or working level, had openings larger than one half inch:    (a)Receiving Pit Area, on or about and at times preceding to August 1, 2017, pedestal fan used in truck dumping area had openings measuring up to 5 inches plus, exposing workers to fingertip amputations.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Abate by

Jan 25, 2018

Penalty

Initial $4,182 · Current $2,091 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(d): The employer did not develop and implement an emergency action plan meeting the requirements contained in 1910.38(a):    (a) Yard Area, on or about and at times preceding to August 1, 2017, an emergency action plan had not been developed for grain handling and storage facilities.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Penalty

Initial $4,183 · Current $2,092 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.304(b)(2)(ii): Receptacles and cord connectors having grounding contacts were not effectively grounded in accordance with paragraph (g)(3) of this section:    (a) Receiving Pit Area, on or about and at times preceding to August 1, 2017, the extension cord used with the  pedestal fan did not contain a grounding plug.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Abate by

Jan 25, 2018

Penalty

Initial $4,183 · Current $2,092 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(1)(ii): Unused openings in boxes, cabinets, or fittings were not effectively closed:    (a) Receiving Pit Area, on or about and at times preceding to August 1, 2017, knockouts were missing on Front Auger #8 and Front Auger #9 junction boxes.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Penalty

Initial $4,183 · Current $2,092 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(g)(2)(ii): Flexible cords were not used only in continuous lengths without splice or tap:    (a) Receiving Shed, on or about and at times preceding to August 1, 2017, extension cord for use with pedestal fan had been spliced and not used in a continuous length.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Abate by

Jan 25, 2018

Penalty

Initial $6,972 · Current $3,486 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.333(b)(2): While an employee was exposed to contact with parts of fixed electric equipment or circuits which were deenergized, the circuits energizing the parts were not locked out or tagged or both in accordance with the requirements of this paragraph (b) of 29 CFR 1910.333(b)(2):    (a) Receiving Shed, on or about and at times preceding to August 1, 2017, during de-energizing procedures, the main power was disconnected and the fuses to the disconnect were removed.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Penalty

Initial $4,183 · Current $2,092 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.334(a)(2)(i): Portable cord and plug connected equipment and flexible cord sets (extension cords) were not visually inspected before use on any shift for external defects (such as loose parts, deformed and missing pins, or damage to outer jacket or insulation) and for evidence of possible internal damage (such as pinched or crushed outer jacket):    (a) Receiving Pit Area, on or about and at times preceding to August 1, 2017, the electrical cords were not visually inspected prior to use to identify the missing grounding plug , missing plug-in cover for the pedestal fan, and damaged outer jacket or insulation.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.334(a)(2)(ii): There was a defect or evidence of damage that could have exposed an employee to injury and the defective or damaged item was not removed from service and an employee was using it before repairs and tests necessary to render the equipment safe were made:  (a) Receiving Pit Area, on or about and at times preceding to August 1, 2017, the electrical cords were not removed from service when it was missing a grounding prong , the plug-in for the pedestal fan was missing a cover, and the outer jacket or insulation was damaged.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Penalty

Initial $9,761 · Current $4,881 Reduced

Hazardous substances C730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2): Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of carbon monoxide listed in Table Z-1 in excess of the 8 hour Time Weighted Average concentration of 50 ppm:    (a) Receiving Pit Area, on or about and at times preceding to July 10, 2017, employee entering the receiving pit, confined space, was exposed to carbon monoxide with a calculated 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 190 ppm, based on blood carboxyhemoglobin levels, which is 3.8 times the allowable level of 50 ppm (TWA).

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Abate by

Jan 25, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances C730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(e): Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not determined and implemented to achieve compliance with the limits prescribed in 29 CFR 1910.1000(a) through (d):  (a) Receiving Pit Area, on or about and at times preceding to July 10, 2017, employee entering the receiving pit, confined space, was exposed to carbon monoxide with a calculated 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 190 ppm, based on blood carboxyhemoglobin levels, this is 3.8 times the allowable level of 50 ppm (TWA). Employees were utilizing a gasoline powered motor to pump out water from inside of pit.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Abate by

Jan 25, 2018

Penalty

Initial $4,183 · Current $2,092 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3)(ii): Employee training did not include the physical and health hazards of the chemicals in the work area:    (a) At the facility, on or about and at times preceding to August 1, 2017, the employer had not established employee training on the hazardous atmosphere that could be created inside the receiving pit when a gasoline powered motor was operated inside the area without appropriate ventilation being provided.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Abate by

Jan 25, 2018

Penalty

Initial $13,943 · Current $6,972 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(4): The employer did not provide equipment for rescue operations, which was specifically suited for the bin, silo, or tank being entered:     (a) Yard Area, on or about and at times preceding to August 1, 2017, during the entry into grain storage bins for cleaning operations, rescue equipment suitable for bin entry was not provided.    The AgrowStar, LLC. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.272(g)(4), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 923022, citation number 1, item number 10 and was affirmed as a final order on February 4, 2014, with respect to a workplace located at 2250 Columbus Highway, Dawson, Georgia.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Abate by

Jan 25, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,789 · Current $1,395 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(j)(1): The employer did not develop and implement a written housekeeping program that established the frequency and the method(s) determined best to reduce accumulations of fugitive grain dust on ledges, floors, equipment, and other exposed areas:     (a) Yard Area, on or about and at times preceding to August 1, 2017, a housekeeping program had not been developed or utilized to prevent accumulations of grain dust in the receiving area and other areas throughout the facility.    The AGrowStar, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.272(j)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 923022, citation number 1, item number 12 and was affirmed as a final order on 2/4/14, with respect to a workplace located at 2250 Columbus Highway, Dawson, GA  39842.

Issued

Dec 28, 2017

Penalty

Initial $6,972 · Current $3,486 Reduced

Hazardous substances C730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.39(a)(2): The employer did not report an in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye as a result of a work-related incident to OSHA within twenty-four (24) hours:    (a) At the facility, the employer failed to report by phone, in person, or by electronic submission, to the nearest OSHA office, an accident that occurred on July 10, 2017, which resulted in a hospitalization, within twenty four (24) hours.