OSHA Inspection: COTTON GROWERS COOPERATIVE

Issued

Sep 4, 2020

Abate by

Sep 29, 2020

Penalty

Initial $6,747 · Current $3,000 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 employee(s) in that the employee(s) were exposed to struck-by hazards:       On or about March 10, 2020, at the gin building, employees used a shop made personnel lift platform, raised and lowered, on the forks of a powered industrial truck (PIT) to access the gin-building roof and were exposed to struck-by hazards.

Issued

Sep 4, 2020

Abate by

Sep 29, 2020

Penalty

Initial $6,747 · Current $3,000 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 employees in that employees were exposed to high pressure injection hazards:        On or about March 10, 2020, at the gin building, employees used two compressed air wands, hoses, and two portable air compressors to clean the roof with compressed air in excess of 30 PSI exposing the employees to high pressure injection hazards.

Issued

Sep 4, 2020

Abate by

Sep 29, 2020

Penalty

Initial $6,747 · Current $3,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0170

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to inhalations hazards.        On or about March 17, 2020, at the west yard, employees were exposed to inhalation hazards during emergencies and maintenance work involving anhydrous ammonia.

Issued

Sep 4, 2020

Abate by

Sep 29, 2020

Penalty

Initial $6,747 · Current $3,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0170

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to chemical burn hazards.       a.  On or about March 17, 2020, at the west yard, the north anhydrous ammonia storage tank was exposed to vehicular damage and exposes employees chemical burn hazards.    b.  On or about March 17, 2020, at the west yard, the south anhydrous ammonia storage tank was exposed to vehicular damage and exposes employees to chemical burn  hazards.

Issued

Sep 4, 2020

Abate by

Sep 29, 2020

Penalty

Initial $6,747 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1)(i): The employer did not compile a list of the hazardous chemicals known to be present using a product identifier that was referenced on the appropriate safety data sheet:  (Agriculture Reference: 29 CFR 1928.21(a)(5))       On or about March 12, 2020, at the establishment, where employees perform ginning operations, cotton (combustible dust and irritant) was not included on the list of hazardous chemicals known to be present.

Issued

Sep 4, 2020

Abate by

Sep 29, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0170

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1)(ii): The written hazard communication program did not include the methods the employer will use to inform employees of the hazards of non routine tasks, and the hazards associated with chemicals contained in unlabeled pipes in their work areas: (Agriculture Reference: 1928.21(a)(5))      On or about March 17, 2020, for the establishment, the written hazard communication program did not include the methods the employer will use to inform employees of the hazards associated with chemicals contained in unlabeled pipes in their work areas which include, but are not limited to anhydrous ammonia (corrosive, toxic).

Issued

Sep 4, 2020

Abate by

Sep 29, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(1): Employers did not have a safety data sheet in the workplace for each hazardous chemical which they use: (Agriculture Reference: 29 CFR 1928.21(a)(5))      On or about March 12, 2020, at the establishment, the employer did not have a safety data sheet in the workplace for each hazardous chemical which they used including but not limited to cotton (combustible dust, irritant).

Issued

Sep 4, 2020

Abate by

Sep 29, 2020

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: (Agriculture Reference: 29 CFR 1928.21(a)(5))       On or about March 12, 2020, at the establishment, the employer did not provide employees with effective hazard communication training.  Hazardous chemicals including but not limited to cotton (combustible dust, irritant) and anhydrous ammonia (corrosive, toxic) were present in employee work areas.

Issued

Sep 4, 2020

Abate by

Sep 29, 2020

Penalty

Initial $6,747 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1928.57(d)(1)(vii): Projecting shaft ends not guarded by location will not present a smooth edge and end, were not guarded by non-rotating caps or safety sleeves, and protruded more than one-half the outside diameter of the shaft.       On or about March 10, 2020, behind the gin building, below the east conveyor bank, three shafts of the trash conveyor projected more than 2 times the diameter of the shafts or where not guarded.  This exposes the employees to caught-by hazards.

Issued

Sep 4, 2020

Abate by

Sep 29, 2020

Penalty

Initial $94,456 · Current $60,000 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 employees in that employees were exposed to the hazard of falls from roof edges, from elevated platforms, and through skylights:     a.  On or about March 10, 2020, at the gin building, employees performing cleaning work activities on the roof and near skylights were exposed to a fall hazard greater than four(4) feet to the concrete below.      b.  On or about March 10, 2020, at the gin building, employees using a personnel lift platform to access the roof of the gin building to clean were exposed to a fall hazard greater than four(4) feet to the concrete below.      c.  On or about March 10, 2020, at the gin building, employees  performing cleaning work activities on the  roof with unprotected sides and edges were exposed to a fall hazard greater than four(4) feet to the concrete below.

Issued

Sep 4, 2020

Abate by

Sep 29, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0170

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.111(b)(3)(i): System nameplates, when required, were not permanently attached to the system so as to be readily accessible for inspection and did not include markings as prescribed in subdivision (ii) of this subparagraph:  (Agriculture Reference: 29 CFR 1928.21(a)(2))   a.  On or about March 17, 2020, at the west yard, an anhydrous ammonia storage tank (north tank) data plate was painted and the data plate markings were not readable.  Employees used the storage tank to fill other tanks and were exposed to anhydrous ammonia.      b.  On or about March 17, 2020, at the west yard, an anhydrous ammonia storage tank (south tank) data plate was painted and the data plate markings were not readable.  Employees used the storage tank to fill other tanks and were exposed to anhydrous ammonia.