OSHA Inspection: PEARL VALLEY FARMS, INC.

Issued

Jul 14, 2020

Penalty

Initial $6,940 · Current $8,000

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:     On or about April 14, 2020, employees were exposed to respiratory stressors associated with being required and/or voluntarily allowed to wear 3M half-face tight-fitting respirators and/or Moldex dust masks (filtering facepieces). Employees were allowed to wear respirators inside areas such as, but not limited to, houses and barns, while producing fertilizer by use of dried chicken manure and the employer did not provide medical evaluations for these employees prior to wearing respiratory protection.      There is no abatement certification or documentation required for this item.

Issued

Jul 14, 2020

Penalty

Initial $6,940 · Current $0 Reduced

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):    On or about April 14, 2020, employees were exposed to respiratory stressors associated with being required and/or voluntarily allowed to wear 3M half-face tight-fitting respirators and/or Moldex dust masks (filtering facepieces). Employees were allowed to wear respirators inside areas such as, but not limited to, houses and barns, while producing fertilizer by use of dried chicken manure and the employer did not provide fit testing to employees prior to wearing respirators onsite.     There is no abatement certification or documentation required for this item.

Issued

Jul 14, 2020

Penalty

Initial $6,940 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(1): The employer did not provide effective training to employees who were required to use respirators:      On or about April 14, 2020, employees were exposed to respiratory stressors associated with being required and/or voluntarily allowed to wear 3M half-face tight-fitting respirators and/or Moldex dust masks (filtering facepieces). Employees were allowed to wear respirators inside areas such as, but not limited to, houses and barns while producing fertilizer by use of dried chicken manure and the employer did not provide effective training to employees prior wearing respirators onsite.     There is no abatement certification or documentation required for this item.

Issued

Jul 14, 2020

Abate by

Sep 1, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,205 · Current $2,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): The employer did not provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new chemical hazard that the employees had not previously been trained about was introduced into their work area.     On or about April 10, 2020, employees were exposed to chemicals such as ammonia vapors including dusty conditions while working inside areas such as, but not limited to, houses/barns while producing fertilizer by use of dried chicken manure. The employer did not ensure employees were provided effective information and training on the physical and health hazards to which they were exposed.     Abatement certification is required of this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(c).

Issued

Jul 14, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(6): The employer did not provide the basic advisory information on respirators, as presented in Appendix D of 29 CFR 1910.134, in written or oral format to employees who wear respirators when such use was not required by the employer:   On or about April 14, 2020, employees were exposed to respiratory stressors associated with being required and/or voluntarily allowed to wear 3M half-face tight-fitting respirators and/or Moldex dust masks (filtering facepieces). Employees were allowed to wear respirators inside areas such as, but not limited to, houses and barns, while producing fertilizer by use of dried chicken manure. The employer did not provide basic advisory information on respirators, as presented in Appendix D of the standard in in written or oral format to employees who voluntarily wear respirators.   There is no abatement certification or documentation required for this item.

Issued

Jul 14, 2020

Abate by

Sep 1, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(c)(1)(iv): The Exposure Control Plan was not reviewed and updated at least annually and whenever necessary to reflect new or modified tasks and procedures which affect occupational exposure and to reflect new or revised employee positions with occupational exposure.   On or about April 9, 2020, a management official potentially received an occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens and other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) while being allowed to remove equipment such as, but not limited, to paddles from a conveying machine hat contained blood following a fatality. The employer did not ensure that the site Exposure Control Plan/Bloodborne Pathogen Program was reviewed and updated at least annually and whenever necessary to reflect new or modified tasks and procedures.      Abatement certification is required of this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(c).