OSHA Inspection: GREAT SOUTHERN PEANUT, LLC

Issued

Sep 11, 2018

Abate by

Oct 5, 2018

Penalty

Initial $12,805 · Current $6,403 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(5)(i): Locks, tags, chains, wedges, key blocks, adapter pins, self-locking fasteners, or other hardware were not provided by the employer for isolating, securing, or blocking of machines or equipment from energy sources:     a) Throughout the facility - On or about and times prior to March 14, 2018, the employer did not provide the appropriate lockout hardware to effectively isolate the energy source during servicing and maintenance on peanut processing machines (e.g. shellers, bucket elevators, and color sorters):

Issued

Sep 11, 2018

Penalty

Initial $3,659 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.32(b)(6): The OSHA 300-A Summary was not posted by February 1 of the year following the year covered by the records and/or kept in place until April 30.     a) At the facility, on and about March 14, 2018, the OSHA 300A summary for the 2017 300 log was not posted.    The Great Southern Peanut, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1904.32(b)(6), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1125484, citation number 3, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on July 20, 2017, with respect to a workplace located at 132 Fifth Street in Leesburg, Georgia.

Issued

Sep 11, 2018

Abate by

Oct 5, 2018

Penalty

Initial $14,634 · Current $7,300 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.25(b)(3): The employer did not ensure that the stairs had uniform riser heights and tread depths between the landings:    (a) Sorter Area,  on or about and at times prior to March 14, 2018, the stairway that led to the color sorters had non-uniform rise height that varied from 8 inches to 11 inches, thus exposing employees to a trip and fall hazard.        Great Southern Peanut, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.24(f), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1107788, citation number 1, item number 2 and was affirmed as a final order on July 20, 2017, with respect to a workplace located at 132 Fifth Street, Leesburg, GA 31763.

Issued

Sep 11, 2018

Abate by

Oct 5, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.29(f)(4): Openings in a stair rail system exceeded 19 inches at its least dimension:  a) Sorter and Gravity Area - On or about and times prior to March 14, 2018, the stairway used to gain access to the sorter holding bins contained an opening of approximately 30 inches on the right side ascending, thus exposing employees to a fall hazard.   b) Sorter Area - On or about and times prior to March 14, 2018, the metal stairway used to gain access to the stoner had an opening of approximately 30 inches on the left side descending, thus exposing employees to a fall hazard.    Great Southern Peanut, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.23(d)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 962546, citation number 1, item number 5 and was affirmed as a final order on January 9, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 132 Fifth Street, Leesburg, GA 31763.  Great Southern Peanut, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.23(d)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1107788, citation number 2, item number 4a and was affirmed as a final order on July 20, 2017, with respect to a workplace located at 132 Fifth Street, Leesburg, GA 31763.

Issued

Sep 11, 2018

Abate by

Oct 5, 2018

Penalty

Initial $64,023 · Current $32,012 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(3)(iv): The employer did not ensure each employee was protected from falling into a ladderway floor hole or ladderway platform hole by a guardrail system and toeboards erected on all exposed sides, except at the entrance to the hole, where a self-closing gate or an offset must be used.    a) Cleaner Plant - On or about and times prior to March 14, 2018 the ladder entrance that led to the peanut holding tank was not guarded, thus exposing employees to a fall hazard of approximately 7.3 feet onto concrete flooring.    b) Shelling Plant - On or about and times prior to March 14, 2018, the ladder entrance that led to the 1st level elevated platform was not properly guarded, thus exposing employees to a fall hazard of approximately 6.3 feet onto concrete flooring.    c) Shelling Plant - On or about and times prior to March 14, 2018, the ladder entrance that led to the 2nd level elevated platform was not properly guarded, thus exposing employees to a fall hazard of approximately 6.3 feet onto concrete flooring.    d) Bag Off - On or about and times prior to March 14, 2018, the ladder entrance that led to the pre-bag holding bins were not guarded, thus exposing employees to a fall hazard of approximately 19 feet onto concrete flooring.    e) Bag Off - On or about and at times prior to March 14, 2018, the ladder entrance to the   rolling sizers were not guarded, thus exposing employees to fall hazard approximately 10 feet onto the concrete flooring below.     Great Southern Peanut, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.23(a)(2), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 962546, citation number 1, item number 3 and was affirmed as a final order on January 9, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 132 Fifth Street, Leesburg, GA 31763.    Great Southern Peanut, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.23(a)(2), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1107788, citation number 2, item number 3 and was affirmed as a final order on July 20, 2017, with respect to a workplace located at 132 Fifth Street, Leesburg, GA 31763.

Issued

Sep 11, 2018

Abate by

Oct 5, 2018

Penalty

Initial $54,876 · Current $27,438 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(a)(3): Exit route(s) were not kept free and unobstructed.    a) Cleaning Plant - On or about and times prior to March 14, 2018, the walkway used to gain access to the exit had an obstruction impeded the route that included a vertical structural beam, thus exposing employees to egress hazards.     b) Shelling Plant - On or about and times prior to March 14, 2018, the walkways used to gain access to the exit had obstructions impeding the route that included peanut processing machinery, electrical panels, a bucket elevator, and a vertical structural beam, thus exposing employees to egress hazards.     Great Southern Peanut, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.37(a)(3), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 962546, citation number 1, item number 8b and was affirmed as a final order on January 9, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 132 Fifth Street, Leesburg, GA 31763.    Great Southern Peanut, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.37(a)(3), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1107788, citation number 2, item number 5 and was affirmed as a final order on July 20, 2017, with respect to a workplace located at 132 Fifth Street, Leesburg, GA 31763.

Issued

Sep 11, 2018

Abate by

Oct 5, 2018

Penalty

Initial $21,950 · Current $10,975 Reduced

Hazardous substances 81108111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(6): At least annually after obtaining the baseline audiogram, the employer did not obtain a new audiogram for each employee exposed at or above an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels :    a)  In the Peanut Processing Plant, on or about March 14, 2018 and at times prior to, the employer did obtain an audiogram on an annual basis for the cleaning plant operator who was exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 92.4 dBA during the 409 minute sampling period, which is 2.82 times the Action Level of 85 dBA, resulting in a progressive hearing loss hazard.    b)  In the Peanut Processing Plant, on or about March 14, 2018 and at times prior to, the employer did not institute obtain an annual audiogram for shelling plant operator who was exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 95.3 dBA during the 407 minute sampling period, which is 4.22 times the Action Level of 85 dBA, resulting in a progressive hearing loss hazard.      The Great Southern Peanut, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.95(g)(6), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1125484, citation number 3, item number 3 and was affirmed as a final order on July 20, 2017, with respect to a workplace located at 132 Fifth Street in Leesburg, Georgia.

Issued

Sep 11, 2018

Abate by

Oct 5, 2018

Penalty

Initial $64,023 · Current $32,012 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(d)(3): Under the permit-required confined space program required by 29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4), the employer did not develop and implement the means, procedures, and practices necessary for safe permit space entry operations, including, but not limited to items (d)(3)(i) through (d)(3)(vi) of this paragraph:    a) Throughout the workplace - On or about March 14, 2018, the employer did not develop or implement procedures that specified acceptable entry conditions, allowed observations of monitoring and testing, required isolating the permit spaces, controlled atmospheric hazards, and ensured that acceptable conditions existed throughout entry for entry into permit spaces to include, but not limited to peanut dump pits, thus exposing employees to caught-in and atmospheric hazards.    Great Southern Peanut, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.146(c)(4) which was contained in OSHA inspection number 962546, citation number 1, item number 13b and was affirmed as a final order on January 9, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 132 Fifth Street, Leesburg, GA 31763.    Great Southern Peanut, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.146(d)(3) which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1107788, citation number 2, item number 6a and was affirmed as a final order on July 20, 2017, with respect to a workplace located at 132 Fifth Street, Leesburg, GA 31763.

Issued

Sep 11, 2018

Abate by

Oct 5, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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) Throughout the workplace - On or about March 14, 2018, the employer did not provide training to employees that entered permit spaces to include, but not limited to peanut dump pits, thus exposing employees to caught-in and atmospheric hazards.  Great Southern Peanut, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.146(g)(1) which was contained in OSHA inspection number 962546, citation number 1, item number 13e and was affirmed as a final order on January 9, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 132 Fifth Street, Leesburg, GA 31763.  Great Southern Peanut, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.146(g)(1) which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1107788, citation number 2, item number 6b and was affirmed as a final order on July 20, 2017, with respect to a workplace located at 132 Fifth Street, Leesburg, GA 31763.

Issued

Sep 11, 2018

Abate by

Oct 5, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(k)(1): An employer who designates rescue and emergency services, pursuant to paragraph (d)(9)of this section did not evaluate the prospective rescuer's ability by the criteria set in this section, (k)(1)(i) - (k)(1)(v).  a). Throughout the workplace - On or about March 14, 2018, the employer did not evaluate their designated rescue service's (i.e. 911) ability to rescue entrant(s) in permit spaces to include, but not limited to peanut dump pits, thus exposing employees to caught-in and atmospheric hazards.  Great Southern Peanut, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.146(d)(9) which was contained in OSHA inspection number 962546, citation number 1, item number 13d and was affirmed as a final order on January 9, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 132 Fifth Street, Leesburg, GA 31763.  Great Southern Peanut, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.146(k)(1) which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1107788, citation number 2, item number 6c and was affirmed as a final order on July 20, 2017, with respect to a workplace located at 132 Fifth Street, Leesburg, GA 31763.

Issued

Sep 11, 2018

Abate by

Oct 5, 2018

Penalty

Initial $36,585 · Current $9,146 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. and not used with effective chip guarding and personal protective equipment.    a) Shelling Plant - On or about and times prior to May 2, 2018, compressed air nozzle (i.e. metal rod) dead end nozzle pressure used to clean the floors and peanut processing machinery was measured at 70 p.s.i., thus exposing employees to an embolism and struck-by hazards.     Great Southern Peanut, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.242(b), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 962546, citation number 1, item number 20 and was affirmed as a final order on January 9, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 132 Fifth Street, Leesburg, GA 31763.    Great Southern Peanut, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.242(b), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1107788, citation number 2, item number 12 and was affirmed as a final order on July 20, 2017 with respect to a workplace located at 132 Fifth Street, Leesburg, GA 31763.