OSHA Inspection: GRAIN PLACE FOODS, INC.

Issued

Feb 27, 2018

Abate by

Mar 23, 2018

Penalty

Initial $3,696 · Current $2,218 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.29(b)(1): The top edge height of top rails, or equivalent guardrail system members, were not 42 inches, plus or minus 3 inches, above the walking-working surface:    The employer is failing to protect employees from fall hazards associated with working off of a platform with inadequate guard railing.  The most recent occurrence of this was evident during the inspection at the facility located at 1904 N. Hwy 14, Marquette, NE, where the employer has employees accessing the gravity cat walk with damaged/inadequate railing to clear the gravity hopper.

Issued

Feb 27, 2018

Abate by

Mar 23, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.29(b)(2)(i): Midrails were not installed at a height midway between the top edge of the guiderail system and the walking-working surface:     The employer is failing to protect employees from fall hazards associated with working off of a platform with inadequate guard railing.  The most recent occurrence of this was evident during the inspection at the facility located at 1904 N. Hwy 14, Marquette, NE, where the employer has employees accessing the gravity cat walk with damaged/inadequate railing to clear the gravity hopper.

Issued

Feb 27, 2018

Abate by

Mar 23, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,956 · Current $1,774 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(a)(4): Modifications and additions which affect capacity and safe operation of powered industrial truck were performed by the employer without the manufacturer's prior written approval:    The employer is failing to protect employees from struck by hazards associated with operating company modified forklift. The most recent occurrence of this was evident during the inspection at the facility located at 1904 N. Hwy 14, Marquette, NE, where the employer had employees operating modified forklifts without manufacturer approval.  Instances of modification include but are not limited to:  i.   Employees using the Yale forklift number 103649 near the Small cleaning line to move material throughout the facility while steering the forklift with an aftermarket steering knob the company fixed to the steering wheel.   ii.  Employees using the Clark model FCS forklift in the mill room to move material throughout the mill area while steering the forklift with an aftermarket steering knob the company fixed to the steering wheel.

Issued

Feb 27, 2018

Abate by

Mar 23, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,218 · Current $1,331 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(g)(2):  Battery changing and charging installations for industrial trucks were not provided with facilities for protecting the charging apparatus from damage by the fork truck:   The employer is failing to protect employees from electrical hazards associated with charging forklift batteries on unprotected forklift charging apparatuses.  The most recent occurrence of this was evident during the inspection of the facility located at 1904 N. Hwy 14, Marquette, NE; where the employer has positioned the forklift charging apparatuses on the ground without any type of barrier protection to prevent incidental damage.

Issued

Feb 27, 2018

Abate by

Mar 23, 2018

Penalty

Initial $3,696 · Current $2,218 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(2):  Guard(s) on machine(s) were not affixed to the machine or secured elsewhere when attachment to the machine was not possible:   The employer is failing to protect employees from caught between hazards associated with unsecure guarding over floor augers.  The most recent occurrence of this was evident during the inspection at the facility located at 1904 N. Hwy 14, Marquette, NE, where the employer has employees cleaning up the floor and on occasion removing the unsecured floor guard over the floor auger system while the auger is running.

Issued

Feb 27, 2018

Abate by

Mar 23, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,218 · Current $1,331 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.242(b):    Compressed air used for cleaning purposes was not reduced to less than 30 p.s.i.:   The employer is failing to protect employees from struck by hazards associated with using compressed air in cleaning.  The most recent occurrence of this was evident during the inspection at the facility located at 1904 N. Hwy 14, Marquette, NE, where the employer has employees using compressed air to blow down facility without ensuring that all air nozzles are stepped down to 30 p.s.i. or less.

Issued

Feb 27, 2018

Abate by

Mar 23, 2018

Penalty

Initial $3,696 · Current $2,218 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(1)(i): The permit for entering bins, silos, or tanks in the grain handling facility did not certify that the precautions contained in 29 CFR 1910.272(g) had been implemented prior to employees entering the bins, silos, or tanks:                                                                                           The employer is failing to protect employees from engulfment and air quality hazards associated with entering grain bins without having developed and implemented a written bin entry permit.  The most recent occurrence of this was documented on December 12, 2017 during the inspection of the mill room at the facility located at 1904 N. Hwy 14, Marquette, NE, where the employer has employees entering grain bins without having developed and implemented a written bin entry permit.  Instances include but are not limited to:      i.  Employees entering bins R1, R2, R3 and R4 two weeks prior without filling out a permit.

Issued

Feb 27, 2018

Abate by

Mar 23, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.272(g)(1)(iii): The atmosphere within a bin, silo, or tank in the grain handling facility was not tested for oxygen content prior to employee entry:                      The employer is failing to protect employees from air quality hazards associated with entering grain bins without testing the air quality prior.  The most recent occurrence of this was documented on December 12, 2017 during the inspection of the mill room at the facility located at 1904 N. Hwy 14, Marquette, NE, where the employer has employees entering grain bins without testing the air quality.  Instances include but are not limited to:  i.  Employees entering bins R1, R2, R3 and R4 two weeks prior without testing the air quality.

Issued

Feb 27, 2018

Abate by

Mar 23, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:                                                                      The employer is failing to protect employees from engulfment and air quality hazards associated with entering grain bins without having rescue equipment available.  The most recent occurrence of this was documented on December 12, 2017 during the inspection of the mill room at the facility located at 1904 N. Hwy 14, Marquette, NE, where the employer has employees entering grain bins without rescue equipment.  Instances include but are not limited to:  i.  Employees entering bins R1, R2, R3 and R4 two weeks prior without rescue equipment available.

Issued

Feb 27, 2018

Abate by

Mar 23, 2018

Penalty

Initial $3,696 · Current $2,218 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(j)(2)(ii): The employer did not immediately remove any fugitive grain dust accumulations whenever the exceeded one eighth of an inch (.32cm) at priority housekeeping areas, pursuant to the housekeeping program for grain elevators:   The employer is failing to protect employees from explosion hazards associated with grain dust build up greater than an eighth of an inch in the mill room.  The most recent occurrence of this was documented on December 12, 2017 during the inspection of the mill room at the facility located at 1904 N. Hwy 14, Marquette, NE, where the employer has employees mixing product in the mixer and excessive grain dust build up was visible along the horizontal support beams for the overhead hopper.

Issued

Feb 27, 2018

Abate by

Mar 23, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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 had not been removed or controlled:                                                                                                           The employer is failing to protect employees from explosion hazards associated with using compressed air to clean without controlling all of the potential ignition sources through lockout and/or tag out.  The most recent occurrence of this was documented on December 12, 2017 during the inspection of the mill room at the facility located at 1904 N. Hwy 14, Marquette, NE, where the employer has employees powering down machines but not securing the ignition sources through lockout and/or tag out while blowing down the mill room with compressed air wands.

Issued

Feb 27, 2018

Abate by

Mar 23, 2018

Penalty

Initial $3,696 · Current $2,218 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(b)(1)(ii):  Electrical equipment was not free from recognized hazards, based on the mechanical strength and durability, including, for parts designed to enclose and protect other equipment, the adequacy of the protection thus provided:   The employer is failing to protect employees from electrical and arc flash hazards associated with damaged electrical panel doors.  The most recent occurrence of this was documented on December 12, 2017 during the inspection of the facility located at 1904 N. Hwy 14, Marquette, NE, where the employer has employees applying locks and tags to the switches on the main electrical panel board where there was a panel door with a data plate missing leaving exposed 480v electrical wiring.

Issued

Feb 27, 2018

Abate by

Mar 23, 2018

Penalty

Initial $3,696 · Current $2,218 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(1): Unused openings in boxes, cabinets, or fittings were not effectively closed:   The employer is failing to protect employees from electrical hazards associated with missing knockouts in electrical outlet boxes.  The most recent occurrence of this was documented on December 12, 2017 during the inspection of the facility located at 1904 N. Hwy 14, Marquette, NE, where the employer has employees working in the small cleaning line where they operator an auger that is plugged into an outlet that was missing a knockout.

Issued

Feb 27, 2018

Abate by

Dec 31, 2018

Penalty

Initial $3,696 · Current $2,218 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.307(c)(2)(i):    Equipment shall be approved not only for the class of location, but also for the ignitable or combustible properties of the specific gas, vapor, dust, or fiber that will be present:   The employer is failing to protect employees from explosion hazards associated with installing inadequate electrical components to an electrical system that requires Class II Division 2 wiring.  The most recent occurrence of this was documented on December 12, 2017 during the inspection of the mill room at the facility located at 1904 N. Hwy 14, Marquette, NE, where the employer has employees generating fugitive airborne dust with electrical components that do not meet NFPA 70 requirements providing a potential ignition source.

Issued

Feb 27, 2018

Abate by

Mar 23, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(e):  Markings were not provided on electrical equipment giving voltage, current, wattage, and other ratings as necessary:  The employer is failing to protect employees from electrical and arc flash hazards associated with missing labeling on electrical panels.  The most recent occurrence of this was documented on December 12, 2017 during the inspection of the facility located at 1904 N. Hwy 14, Marquette, NE, where the employer has employees accessing electrical panels throughout the facility that are missing labels and warnings identifying arc flash hazards, voltage and wattage ratings.