OSHA Inspection: SOUTHERN NATURE PRODUCTS, INC.

Issued

Oct 16, 2018

Abate by

Nov 9, 2018

Penalty

Initial $5,174 · Current $3,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to forklift operators in that employees were exposed to struck-by and/or crushing hazards.    (a) Throughout jobsite on or about April 16, 2018 and at times prior to, the employer did not ensure employees who operated  forklifts were required to wear seatbelts, exposing employees to ejection, struck-by and crushing hazards.         1. Mitsubishi S/N AF17E03815     2. Mitsubishi S/N AF17D40325     3. JCB 930 S/N 02V01483316    (b) Throughout jobsite on or about April 16, 2018 and at times prior to, employees were allowed to operate a rough terrain forklift model JCB 520, that was not equipped with a seatbelt, exposing employees to ejection, struck-by and crushing hazards.          1. JCB 520 S/N 406E1013255

Issued

Oct 16, 2018

Abate by

Nov 9, 2018

Penalty

Initial $3,696 · Current $2,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1): The work area was not kept in a clean and orderly manner.    (a) Throughout facility on or about April 16, 2018 and at times prior to, employer did not ensure walkways between equipment were maintained free of trip hazards such as pine mulch, exposing employees to trip and fall hazards.

Issued

Oct 16, 2018

Abate by

Nov 9, 2018

Penalty

Initial $5,174 · Current $3,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.27(a): (a) Scaffolds.  Scaffolds used in general industry must meet the requirements in 29 CFR part 1926, subpart L (Scaffolds).    (a) Bagging machine on or about April 20, 2018 and at times prior to, employees resetting the bagger machines were allowed to be elevated by a forklift (Model Mitsubishi S/N AF17E03815, AF17D40325) while standing on a 4 X 4 wooden pallet, exposing employees to a fall hazard of about 6-7 feet.

Issued

Oct 16, 2018

Abate by

Nov 9, 2018

Penalty

Initial $3,696 · Current $2,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.133(a)(1): The employer did not ensure that each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation:    (a) Throughout the facility, on April 16, 2018 and at times prior to, employees who worked on the bagging line were not required to wear eye protection while bagging mulch, exposing employees to eye hazards.

Issued

Oct 16, 2018

Abate by

Nov 9, 2018

Penalty

Initial $3,696 · Current $2,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.135(a)(1): The employer did not ensure that each affected employee wear a protective helmet when working in areas where there is a potential for injury to the head from falling objects:    (a) Production bagging area, on April 16, 2018 and at time prior to, employees were allowed to work around and near the production line while pine bark over flowed the in-feed conveyor, exposing employees to a struck by hazard.

Issued

Oct 16, 2018

Abate by

Nov 9, 2018

Penalty

Initial $5,174 · Current $3,100 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) Throughout the production area, on or about April 16, 2018 and at times prior to, the employer did not establish an comprehensive written energy-control program or specific procedures for the production areas to ensure employees were isolated from sources of energy while clearing clogs, jams, performing maintenance, or housekeeping functions on machinery such as, but not limited to the bagging machine, exposing employees to struck-by, caught-in, and amputation hazards.

Issued

Oct 16, 2018

Abate by

Nov 9, 2018

Penalty

Initial $5,174 · Current $3,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)(i): The employer did not ensure that each powered industrial truck operator is competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely, as demonstrated by the successful completion of the training and evaluation specified in this paragraph (l):    (a) Throughout the facility, April 16, 2018 and at times prior to, the employer did not ensure employees were trained and certified to operate sit-down forklifts in accordance with the standard, exposing employees to ejection and struck-by hazards.        1. Mitsubishi S/N AF17E03815      2. Mitsubishi S/N AF17D40325      3. JCB 930 S/N 02V01483316      4. JCB 520 S/N 406E1013255

Issued

Oct 16, 2018

Penalty

Initial $4,434 · Current $2,700 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1): One or more methods of machine guarding was not provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips and sparks:    (a)  Production area, on or about April 16, 2018 and at times prior to employees were required to operate an unguarded bagger sliding door, thus  exposing employees to struck-by hazard.

Issued

Oct 16, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(5): Fan blade guard(s) were not provided where the periphery of the blades was less than seven feet from the floor or working level:  (a) East and West wall near bagging station, on or about April 16, 2018 and at time prior to, the wall mounted industrial fans was not guarded in that the fan blades were exposed, thus exposing employees to struck-by and amputation hazard.

Issued

Oct 16, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(b): Machine(s) designed for fixed location(s) were not securely anchored to prevent walking or moving:  (a) Wrapping Machines, on or about April 16, 2018, and at times prior to, wrapper machines were not secured to prevent movement, exposing employees to crushing hazards.

Issued

Oct 16, 2018

Penalty

Initial $4,434 · Current $2,700 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(c)(4)(ii): The unused keyway(s) of projecting shaft end(s) were not filled up or covered:    (a) East side stacking conveyor, on April 16, 2018 and at times prior to, employees working on the mulch bagging line were exposed to a rotating keyed shaft, exposing employees to caught-in hazards.

Issued

Oct 16, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(d)(1): Pulley(s) with part(s) seven feet or less from the floor or work platform were not guarded in accordance with the requirements specified in 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o):  (a) East and West side bag sealer, on April 16, 2018 and at times prior to, employees were allowed to bag without guards covering the horizontal belts and pulleys, thus exposing employees to caught-in and amputations hazards.  (b) East and West side industrial fans, on April 16, 2018 and at times prior to, employees were exposed to unguarded fan pulleys, thus exposing employees to caught-in hazards.

Issued

Oct 16, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(e)(3)(i): Vertical or inclined belt(s) were not enclosed by guard(s) conforming to the requirements specified at 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o)  (a) Mounted industrial fans on the East and West side bagging area, on April 16, 2018 and at times prior to, were exposed to unguarded belts, thus exposing employees to caught-in and crushing hazards.

Issued

Oct 16, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(f)(3): Sprocket wheels and chains which were 7-feet or less above floors or platforms were not enclosed:   (a) Bagging Machine, on April 16,2018 and at times prior to, the employer did not adequately guard rotating chain and sprockets, exposing employees to caught-in and crush-by and amputation hazards.       1. Bagging Machines located on East and West side of production area      2. Wrapping Machines located on the West side of production area      3. In-feed pine bark conveyor

Issued

Oct 16, 2018

Abate by

Nov 9, 2018

Penalty

Initial $3,696 · Current $2,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.333(c)(2): The employer did not ensure that only qualified persons were working on energized circuits and that qualified persons were familiar with the proper use of special precautionary techniques, personal protective equipment, insulating and shielding materials, and insulated tools.    (a) Unqualified/Untrained employees were allowed to open and perform trouble shooting on panel boxes with exposed live parts up to 480 Volt, 3 phase circuits throughout the facility, thus exposing employees to electric shock and ARC flash hazards.

Issued

Oct 16, 2018

Abate by

Nov 9, 2018

Penalty

Initial $739 · Current $400 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.32(a)(4): The employer did not post an OSHA 300A Form or equivalent by February 1 thru April 30.    a) On about April 16, 2018, the employer had not summarized or maintained work-related injuries and illnesses on the Annual Summary 300A or equivalent form for the injuries beyond first aid that had occurred  with-in the last year.