OSHA Inspection: WHITE BUFFALO HEMP COMPANY

Issued

Jul 5, 2019

Abate by

Jul 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $3,789 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.106(d)(4)(i): Inside storage rooms were not constructed to meet the required fire-resistive rating for their use:    (a)  On or about May 24, 2019, employees were exposed to fire and explosion hazards created by the employer storing ethanol in 55 gallon drums, inside an office space room that was not designed for such use.

Issued

Jul 5, 2019

Abate by

Jul 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.106(d)(4)(iv): Inside storage room was not provided with either a gravity or a mechanical exhaust ventilation system; and/or ventilation system was not designed to provide for a complete change of air within the room at least six times per hour; and/or mechanical exhaust system was not controlled by a switch located outside of the door; and/or the ventilating equipment and lighting fixtures were not operated by the same switch; and/or a pilot light was not installed adjacent to the switch with Category 1 or 2 flammable liquids, or Category 3 flammable liquids with a flashpoint below 100 degrees F (37.8 degrees C), were being dispensed within the room; and/or gravity ventilation was provided, without the fresh air intake, as well as the exhaust outlet from the room, being on the exterior of the building in which the room is located as required:  (a)  On or about May 24, 2019, employees were exposed to fire and explosion hazards created by the employer storing ethanol in 55 gallon drums, inside an office space room without an adequate ventilation system.

Issued

Jul 5, 2019

Abate by

Jul 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $3,789 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.106(h)(7)(i)(a): Precautions were not taken to prevent the ignition of flammable vapors. Sources of ignition include but are not limited to open flames; lightning; smoking; cutting and welding; hot surfaces; frictional heat; static, electrical, and mechanical sparks; spontaneous ignition, including heat-producing chemical reactions; and radiant heat:    (a) On or about May 24, 2019, employees were exposed to flash fire hazards created by transferring ethanol from 275 gallon plastic totes to 55 gallon plastic drums without grounding and bonding to control static electricity discharge.

Issued

Jul 5, 2019

Abate by

Jul 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $4,546 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1): The employer did not assess the workplace to determine if hazards were present, or were likely to be present, which necessitated the use of personal protective equipment:    a)  On or about May 24, 2019, the employer did not assess the workplace to determine if employees would be required to utilize personal protective equipment, included but not limited to flame resistant clothing, in the process of extracting Cannabidiol (CBD) with ethanol and other work activities.

Issued

Jul 5, 2019

Abate by

Jul 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $2,273 · Current $800 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3)(i): The employee training did not include the methods and observations used to detect the presence or release of a hazardous chemical in the work area:    (a)  On or about May 24, 2019, the employer did not ensure employee training covered the methods and observations to detect the presence or release of hazardous chemicals, including but not limited to ethanol.

Issued

Jul 5, 2019

Abate by

Jul 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $5,001 · Current $3,000 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 respirator(s) were required by the employer:    (a) On or about May 24, 2019, the employer did not ensure that a written respiratory protection program was established and implemented in the workplace when the employer required the use of respirators during Cannabidiol (CBD) extraction operations.     White Buffalo Hemp Company was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health standard or its equivalent standard which was contained in OSHA Inspection Number 1350173, Citation Number 2, Item Number 1a, and was affirmed as a final order on January 28, 2019, with respect to a workplace located at 1254 Sherman Dr. Unit 5, Longmont, CO 80501.

Issued

Jul 5, 2019

Abate by

Jul 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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 May 24, 2019, the employer did not assess employees exposure to the air contaminants associated with Cannabidiol (CBD) extraction operations performed by employees.  This condition exposed employees to respiratory hazards.    White Buffalo Hemp Company was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health standard or its equivalent standard which was contained in OSHA Inspection Number 1350173, Citation Number 2, Item Number 1b, and was affirmed as a final order on January 28, 2019, with respect to a workplace located at 1254 Sherman Dr. Unit 5, Longmont, CO 80501.

Issued

Jul 5, 2019

Abate by

Jul 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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) On or about May 24, 2019, the employer did not ensure that all employees who were required to wear a tight-fitting respirators while conducting Cannabidiol (CBD) extraction operations were medically evaluated prior to use of the respirator.  White Buffalo Hemp Company was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health standard or its equivalent standard which was contained in OSHA Inspection Number 1350173, Citation Number 2, Item Number 1c, and was affirmed as a final order on January 28, 2019, with respect to a workplace located at 1254 Sherman Dr. Unit 5, Longmont, CO 80501.

Issued

Jul 5, 2019

Abate by

Jul 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(1): The employer did not ensure that employee(s) required to use a tight-fitting facepiece respirator passed the appropriate qualitative fit test (QLFT) or quantitative fit test (QNFT):    (a) On or about May 24, 2019, the employer did not ensure that all employees who were required to wear a tight-fitting respirators while conducting Cannabidiol (CBD) extraction operations were given a fit test prior to use of the respirator.  White Buffalo Hemp Company was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health standard or its equivalent standard which was contained in OSHA Inspection Number 1350173, Citation Number 2, Item Number 1d, and was affirmed as a final order on January 28, 2019, with respect to a workplace located at 1254 Sherman Dr. Unit 5, Longmont, CO 80501.

Issued

Jul 5, 2019

Abate by

Jul 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $8,335 · Current $6,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.307(c)(2)(i): Equipment, wiring methods, and installations of equipment in hazardous (classified) locations were not intrinsically safe, approved for the hazardous (classified) location, or safe for the hazardous (classified) location:    (a) On or about May 24, 2019, the employer did not ensure that equipment, wiring methods, and installations of equipment in hazardous (classified) locations were intrinsically safe, approved for the hazardous (classified) location, or safe for the hazardous (classified) location. Employees use ethanol in the Cannabidiol (CBD) extraction process.  The ethanol is used to soak bags of hemp in open 55 gallon drums.  The filtrations unit, air compressor, outlets, and ceiling lights located within the extraction and soak areas were not approved for a Class I Division 1 location. This condition exposed employees to a flash fire hazard due to the potential for an ignition source in an area flammable vapors are present.    White Buffalo Hemp Company was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health standard or its equivalent standard which was contained in OSHA Inspection Number 1350173, Citation Number 1, Item Number 1, and was affirmed as a final order on January 28, 2019, with respect to a workplace located at 1254 Sherman Dr. Unit 5, Longmont, CO 80501.

Issued

Jul 5, 2019

Abate by

Jul 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $333 · Current $200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): The employer did not develop, implement, and/or maintain at the workplace a written hazard communication program which describes how the criteria specified in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f), (g), and (h) will be met:    (a) On or bout May 24, 2019, the employer did not have a written Hazard Communication Program in place that included a section for Safety Data Sheets (SDS), or labeling requirements including pictograms, hazard statements, and signal words. This condition exposed employees to hazards associated with the use of ethanol.    White Buffalo Hemp Company was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health standard or its equivalent standard which was contained in OSHA Inspection Number 1350173, Citation Number 2, Item Number 2a, and was affirmed as a final order on January 28, 2019, with respect to a workplace located at 1254 Sherman Dr. Unit 5, Longmont, CO 80501.

Issued

Jul 5, 2019

Abate by

Jul 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:  (a) On or about May 24, 2019, the employer did not have a written Hazard Communication Program in place that included a sections on Safety Data Sheets (SDS), labeling requirements including pictograms, hazard statements, and signal words. Since the program was missing elements the employer could not adequately train employees on those elements. This condition exposed employees to hazards associated with the use of ethanol.  White Buffalo Hemp Company was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health standard or its equivalent standard which was contained in OSHA Inspection Number 1350173, Citation Number 2, Item Number 2b, and was affirmed as a final order on January 28, 2019, with respect to a workplace located at 1254 Sherman Dr. Unit 5, Longmont, CO 80501.