OSHA Inspection: COFCO INTERNATIONAL GRAINS US LLC

Issued

Aug 31, 2018

Abate by

Sep 20, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,239 · Current $3,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1)(i)(A): The employer did not ensure that each employee on a walking-working surface with an unprotected side or edge that is 4 feet (1.2 m) or more above a lower level was protected from falling by a standard guardrail system:    (a) On March 29, 2018, and on dates prior, the employer had not ensured that each employee performing housekeeping and maintenance work in the basement was protected from falling into boot pits with unprotected sides and edges that were 4 feet (1.2 m) or more above the floor(s) of the boot pits.

Issued

Aug 31, 2018

Abate by

Sep 27, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $5,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.36(g)(2): Exit access(es) were not at least 28 inches (71.1 cm) wide at all points:    (a) On March 14, 2018, and on dates prior, exit accesses on the north and south ends of the new bin floor were not at least 28 inches (71.1 cm) wide at all points due to the placement of conveyor systems.

Issued

Aug 31, 2018

Abate by

Sep 27, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,239 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1): A written respiratory protection program that included the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix) with worksite specific procedures was not established and implemented for required respirator use:     (a) On or about March 14, 2018, the employer had not developed and implemented a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures and elements for the required N95 respirator use.  Program worksite-specific procedures include, but are not limited to medical evaluations, fit testing, and employee training.

Issued

Aug 31, 2018

Abate by

Sep 27, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,239 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(1)(iii): The employer did not identify and evaluate the respiratory hazard(s) in the workplace; including a reasonable estimate of employee exposures to respiratory hazards and identification of the contaminant's chemical state and physical form:    (a) On or about March 14, 2018, the company had not performed an evaluation including reasonable estimates of employee exposures to grain dust.

Issued

Aug 31, 2018

Abate by

Oct 19, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,239 · Current $2,500 Reduced

Hazardous substances G109

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 surfaces:    (a) On or about March 29, 2018, and on dates prior, the housekeeping frequencies established by the employer in their written programs, and implemented in practice, did not best reduce accumulations of fugitive grain dust emissions, that were allowed to accumulate on the drag line support and floor in the old bin floor area.

Issued

Aug 31, 2018

Abate by

Sep 13, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $2,500

Hazardous substances G109

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 1/8 inch (.32cm) at priority housekeeping areas, pursuant to the housekeeping program for grain elevators:    (a) On or about March 29, 2018, and on dates prior, the employer had not immediately removed fugitive grain dust accumulations exceeding 1/8 inch (.32 cm) that were present in priority housekeeping areas in the old bin floor area, including the drag line support and floor.

Issued

Aug 31, 2018

Abate by

Sep 13, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,239 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances G109

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(j)(2)(i)(A): The employer's priority housekeeping program for grain elevators did not include floor areas within 35 feet (10.7m) of inside bucket elevator(s):    (a) On or about March 29, 2018, and on dates prior, the employer's priority housekeeping program for their grain elevator did not include priority housekeeping areas, including the drag line support and floor in the old bin floor area.

Issued

Aug 31, 2018

Abate by

Sep 27, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,239 · Current $4,750 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(m)(1)(i): Preventive maintenance procedures in the grain handling facility were not implemented to provide regularly scheduled inspections of the mechanical and safety control equipment associated with dryers, grain stream processing equipment, dust collection equipment including filter collectors, and bucket elevators:    (a) On or about March 14, 2018, the employer had not implemented preventative maintenance procedures to provide for regularly scheduled inspections of the mechanical and safety control equipment associated with dust collection equipment including filter collectors, and bucket elevators.

Issued

Aug 31, 2018

Abate by

Sep 27, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $4,750

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(m)(1)(ii): Preventive maintenance procedures in the grain handling facility were not implemented to provide lubrication and other appropriate maintenance in accordance with manufacturers' recommendations; or as determined necessary by prior operating periods:      (a)  On or about March 14, 2018, the employer had not implemented preventative maintenance procedures to provide for regularly scheduled lubrication and maintenance of dust collection equipment and bucket elevators.

Issued

Aug 31, 2018

Abate by

Sep 27, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,239 · Current $9,500

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(m)(2): The employer did not promptly correct dust collection systems in the grain handling facility which were malfunctioning or operating below designed efficiency:    (a) On or about March 14, 2018, the employer had not promptly corrected the M8 fan on the dust collection system to provide for efficient grain dust collection for areas and equipment including shipper legs one (1) and two (2), and the truck dump leg.

Issued

Aug 31, 2018

Abate by

Sep 27, 2018

Penalty

Initial $1,037 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(m)(3): 29 CFR 1910.272(m)(3) The employer did not maintain a certification record of each preventive maintenance inspection, performed in accordance with this paragraph (m), containing the date of the inspection, the name of the person who performed the inspection and the serial number, or other identifier, of the equipment specified in paragraph (m)(1)(i) of this section that was inspected:    (a) On or about March 14, 2018, the employer had not maintained certification records of each preventative maintenance inspection of filter collectors and bucket elevators.

Issued

May 14, 2018

Abate by

Jun 1, 2018

Penalty

Initial $12,934 · Current $9,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(5)(ii)(C): Employees entered into permit spaces that met the conditions set forth in 29 CFR 1910.146(c)(5)(i) and the employees, or the employee's authorized representative, were not provided an opportunity to observe the pre-entry testing required by this paragraph:    On or about November 15, 2017, and on dates prior, employee(s) entered into bucket elevator boot pit(s) for the purposes of cleaning them out, and they were not provided an opportunity to observe the pre-entry testing for oxygen content, for flammable gases and vapors, and for potential toxic air contaminants.

Issued

May 14, 2018

Abate by

Jun 1, 2018

Penalty

Initial $1,037 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(e)(6): The employer did not retain each canceled entry permit for at least one year to facilitate the review of the permit-required confined space program required by 29 CFR 1910.146(d)(14):    On or about March 14, 2018, the employer was not retaining cancelled entry permits for bucket elevator boot pits for at least one year.