OSHA Inspection: WATERTOWN COOPERATIVE ELEVATOR ASSOCIATION

Issued

2019-02-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-03-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $5304.00 · Current $4000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.29(b)(2): The employer did not ensure that midrails or equivalent intermediate members were installed between the walking-working surface and the top edge of the guardrail system:    (a)Watertown Cooperative Elevator Association at 811 Burlington Northern Drive, Watertown, SD 57201: On or about and at times prior to November 20, 2018, the employer did not ensure employees performing work on elevated work platforms in the loading bay of the feed mill were protected from fall hazards in that, the work platforms did not have midrails installed between the walking-working surface and the top rail of the guardrail system. This condition exposed employees to a fall hazard of approximately 7 feet above the concrete floor.

Issued

2019-02-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-03-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3978.00 · Current $2000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1):  A written respiratory protection program with worksite specific procedures, as specified in subparagraphs (c)(1)(i) through (ix) of this section, was not established and implemented where respirators were necessary to protect the health of the employee or whenever respirators were required by the employer:      (a)Watertown Cooperative Elevator Association at 811 Burlington Northern Drive, Watertown, SD 57201: On or about and at times prior to November 20, 2018, the employer did not have a written respiratory protection program with worksite specific procedures, as specified in subparagraphs (c)(1)(i) through (ix) of this section. The program was not established and implemented whenever respirators were required by the employer in that, the employer required the use of a Moldex (2700N95) N95 particulate respirator during grain bin entry operations. This condition exposed employees to particulate and chemical hazards.       Abatement Note:  The employer shall include in the program the following provisions of this section, as applicable:        (1)        Procedures for selecting respirators for use in the workplace;        (2)        Medical evaluations of employees required to use respirators;         (3)        Fit testing procedures for tight-fitting respirators;         (4)        Procedures for proper use of respirators in routine and reasonably foreseeable emergency situations;        (5)        Procedures and schedules for cleaning, disinfecting, storing, inspecting, repairing, discarding, and otherwise maintaining respirators;         (6)        Procedures to ensure adequate air quality, quantity, and flow of breathing air for atmosphere-supplying respirators;        (7)        Training of employees in the respiratory hazards to which they are potentially exposed during routine and emergency situations;         (8)        Training of employees in the proper use of respirators, including putting on and removing them, any limitations on their use, and their maintenance; and         (9)        Procedures for regularly evaluating the effectiveness of the program.

Issued

2019-02-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-03-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1): The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee was fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace:    (a)Watertown Cooperative Elevator Association at 811 Burlington Northern Drive, Watertown, SD 57201: On or about and at times prior to November 20, 2018, the employer did not ensure employees received a medical evaluation prior to being required to wear respiratory protection when performing work. This condition exposed employees to hazards associated with respirator use.

Issued

2019-02-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-03-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2): The employer did not ensure that employees using a tight-fitting facepiece respirator is fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator, whenever a different respirator facepiece (size, style, model or make) is used, and at least annually thereafter.     (a)Watertown Cooperative Elevator Association at 811 Burlington Northern Drive, Watertown, SD 57201: On or about and at times prior to November 20, 2018, the employer did not ensure that employees were fit tested prior to using tight-fitting facepiece respirators. Employees were required to use a Moldex (2700N95) N95 particulate respirators during bin-entry operations and were not fit tested prior to using the tight-fitting respirators.  Improper respirator fit exposes employees to respiratory hazards.

Issued

2019-02-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-03-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $5304.00 · Current $4000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(e)(1)(i): Horizontal belts which had both runs seven feet or less from the floor level were not guarded with a guard that extended to at least fifteen inches above the belt:    (a)Watertown Cooperative Elevator Association at 811 Burlington Northern Drive, Watertown, SD 57201: On or about and at times prior to November 20, 2018, the employer did not ensure horizontal belts less than seven feet from the floor were guarded. The Union Special Bag Closing Machine Model: 808006 S/N: BJ1917286 closing system's horizontal belt was not appropriately guarded. This condition exposed employees to caught-by or caught-in-between hazards.

Issued

2019-02-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-03-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $6630.00 · Current $2000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(3): In the grain handling facility an observer, equipped to provide assistance, was not stationed outside the bin, silo, or tank being entered by an employee:    (a)Watertown Cooperative Elevator Association at 811 Burlington Northern Drive, Watertown, SD 57201: On or about and at times prior to November 20, 2018, the employer did not ensure an observer was stationed outside the bin during entry. During bin entry of #3 Steel, an observer equipped to provide assistance was not stationed outside the bin to protect employees from hazards associated with bin entry. This condition exposed employees to hazards associated with bin entry.

Issued

2019-02-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-03-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $6630.00 · Current $4000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(j)(1): The employer did not develop and implement a written housekeeping program that establishes the frequency and methods determined best to reduce accumulations of fugitive grain dust on ledges, floors, equipment, and other exposed surfaces:    (a)Watertown Cooperative Elevator Association at 811 Burlington Northern Drive, Watertown, SD 57201: On or about and at times prior to November 20, 2018, the employer did not implement a written housekeeping program that established the frequency and methods determined best to reduce accumulations of fugitive grain dust exposing employees to fire and explosion hazards. This condition exposed employees to fire and explosion hazards.

Issued

2019-02-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-03-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

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)Watertown Cooperative Elevator Association at 811 Burlington Northern Drive, Watertown, SD 57201: On or about and at times prior to November 20, 2018, the employer did not ensure fugitive grain dust accumulations exceeded 1/8 inch. Numerous areas of accumulated grain dust over 1/8 inch were observed in elevator #1 and #2 in priority housekeeping areas. This condition exposed employees to fire and explosion hazards.

Issued

2019-02-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-03-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $744.00 · Current $500.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(f): The entry permit that documents compliance with this section and authorizes entry did not identify the required information listed in (f)(1)-(f)(15):    (a)Watertown Cooperative Elevator Association at 811 Burlington Northern Drive, Watertown, SD 57201: On or about and at times prior to November 20, 2018, the employer did not ensure confined space entry permits contained information including; authorized entrants, attendants, hazards of the permit space, measures used to isolate hazards prior to entry and rescue and emergency services that can be summoned. The employer utilized grain bin entry permits for boot pit confined space entry that did not identify the information listed in (f)(1)-(f)(15). This condition exposed employees to hazards associated with permit required confined space entry.