OSHA Inspection: MAPLEHURST FARMS, INC.

Issued

Sep 30, 2020

Abate by

Aug 10, 2021

Penalty

Initial $9,446 · Current $7,827 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(c): The employer must provide, and ensure each employee uses, a safe means of access and egress to and from walking-working surfaces.  (a) Grain bin No. 19, vertical fixed ladder and west access platform for west roof inspection hole: on or about April 3, 2020, the employer failed to ensure that safe means of access and egress were provided from the fixed ladder to get on the access platform for grain bin's inventory measurements. Employees leaving the fixed ladder by climbing onto and over the guardrails to get onto the platform were exposed to fall hazards up to 60 feet likely to result in death or serious injury.  (b) Between grain bins No. 16 and No. 17, ground level tunnel vent enclosure and the vertical fixed ladder (tower structure): on or about April 3, 2020, the employer failed to ensure that safe means of access and egress were provided to get on/off the fixed ladder. Employees were exposed to slip and fall hazards when stepping on, over, and/or around the rounded tunnel vent enclosure at the ground level to get on/off that ladder.  (c) Grain bins No. 16 and No. 18, stairs from roof peak platforms to drag conveyors: on or about April 21, 2020, the employer failed to ensure that safe means of access and egress were provided from the stairs to catwalks. Employees were exposed to slip and fall hazards when stepping onto the drag conveyor enclosure that was not intended as a walking surface.  (d) Grain dump pit No. 3, stairs to north loadout platform: on or about August 11, 2020, the employer failed to ensure that safe means of access and egress were provided at the bottom of the stairs where they were positioned over concrete driveway's unprotected edge. Employees were exposed to almost four foot fall hazard when stepping on/from the bottom step because more than 1/3 of the step's length had no surface below to transition from/to the concrete driveway.    Abatement documentation is required for these items in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

Sep 30, 2020

Abate by

Aug 10, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(d)(12)(ii): The employer must ensure the step-across distance from the centerline of the rungs or steps is: (ii) For side-step ladders, not less than 15 inches (38 cm) and not more than 20 inches (51 cm) to the access points of the platform edge;  (a) Grain bin No. 16, south vertical fixed ladder and south roof inspection hole: on or about April 3, 2020, the employer failed to ensure that safe means of access and egress were provided to get to the roof inspection hole for grain bin's inventory measurements. Employees side-stepping up to three feet from the fixed ladder, over a support brace, and across open air space to reach the roof's edge were exposed to fall hazards up to 60 feet likely to result in death or serious injury.  (b) Grain bin No. 18, vertical fixed ladder and east access platform for east roof inspection hole: on or about April 3, 2020, the employer failed to ensure that safe means of access and egress were provided from the fixed ladder to get on the access platform for grain bin's inventory measurements. Employees side-stepping about three feet from the fixed ladder across open air space to reach the platform's edge were exposed to fall hazards up to 60 feet likely to result in death or serious injury.  Abatement documentation is required for these items in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

Sep 30, 2020

Abate by

Aug 10, 2021

Penalty

Initial $9,446 · Current $7,827 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(d)(1): The employer must ensure walking-working surfaces are inspected, regularly and as necessary, and maintained in a safe condition;  Rochelle (main farm) grain handling facility - on or about April 3, 2020, the employer failed to regularly inspect and maintain walking-working surfaces in safe conditions. Employees were exposed to fall hazards such as, but not limited to, incomplete guardrails and unsafe access and egress to and from surfaces, likely to result in death or serious injury.  Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

Sep 30, 2020

Abate by

Aug 10, 2021

Penalty

Initial $6,747 · Current $5,128 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(3)(iv): (iv) Each employee is protected from falling into a ladderway floor hole or ladderway platform hole by a guardrail system and toeboards erected on all exposed sides, except at the entrance to the hole, where a self-closing gate or an offset must be used;  Flat grain storage building No. F1, south wall, vertical fixed ladder and platforms: on or about April 3, 2020, employees performing work on the conveyor were exposed to fall hazards up to 37 feet likely to result in death or serious injury because the ladderway's platform holes were not protected against inadvertently stepping into them by guardrails with a self-closing gate or an offset.  Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

Sep 30, 2020

Abate by

Aug 10, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.29(b)(2): Midrails, screens, mesh, intermediate vertical members, solid panels, or equivalent intermediate members were not installed between the walking-working surface and the top edge of the guardrail system as follows when there is not a wall or parapet that is at least 21 inches (53 cm) high:  (a) Fixed ladder platforms in the tower structure located between grain bins No. 18 and No. 19 - on or about April 3, 2020, the employer failed to ensure that midrails, screens, or other guardrail systems were erected between the top rails and the platforms. Employees walking on the platforms to ascend/descend sections of the fixed ladder were exposed to fall hazards up to 50 feet likely to result in death or serious injury.   (b) Grain bin No. 19, west end of the access platform for roof inspection hole: on or about April 3, 2020, the employer failed to ensure that midrails, screens, or other guardrail systems were erected between the top rail and the platform. Employees getting on/off the guardrails and the fixed ladder in the area were exposed to fall hazards up to 60 feet likely to result in death or serious injury.  Abatement documentation is required for these item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

Sep 30, 2020

Abate by

Aug 10, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.29(b)(14): The employer must ensure guardrail systems on ramps and runways are installed along each unprotected side or edge.  Grain bin No. 17, access runway to roof inspection hole: on or about April 3, 2020, employees walking on and working from the runway were exposed to fall hazards up to 60 feet feet likely to result in death or serious injury from stepping into and falling through the spaces where north and south guardrails were not installed immediately along the unprotected north and south edges of the walkway.  Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

Sep 30, 2020

Abate by

Aug 10, 2021

Penalty

Initial $6,747 · Current $5,127 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(9)(i)(A): For fixed ladders that extend more than 24 feet (7.3 m) above a lower level, the employer must ensure (A) Existing fixed ladders - Each fixed ladder installed before November 19, 2018 is equipped with a personal fall arrest system, ladder safety system, cage, or well;  Flat grain storage building No. F1, south wall, vertical fixed ladder: on or about April 3, 2020, employees ascending/descending a fixed ladder were exposed to fall hazards up to 37 feet likely to result in death or serious injury because fall protection/prevention systems were not provided.  Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

Sep 30, 2020

Abate by

Aug 10, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(m)(3): A certification record shall be maintained of each inspection, performed in accordance with this paragraph (m), containing the date of the inspection, the name of the person who performed the inspection and the serial number, or other identifier, of the equipment specified in paragraph (m)(1)(i) of this section that was inspected.  The employer failed to maintain a certification record of the preventive maintenance inspections conducted of the mechanical and safety control equipment of each dryer and grain bucket elevator.  Abatement certification is required of this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(c).