OSHA Inspection: COUNTRY VISIONS COOPERATIVE

Issued

Feb 2, 2021

Abate by

Mar 11, 2021

Penalty

Initial $9,753 · Current $5,852 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(4)(i): Procedures shall be developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees are engaged in the activities covered by this section.   Note: Exception: The employer need not document the required procedure for a particular machine or equipment, when all of the following elements exist: (1) The machine or equipment has no potential for stored or residual energy or reaccumulation of stored energy after shut down which could endanger employees; (2) the machine or equipment has a single energy source which can be readily identified and isolated; (3) the isolation and locking out of that energy source will completely deenergize and deactivate the machine or equipment; (4) the machine or equipment is isolated from that energy source and locked out during servicing or maintenance; (5) a single lockout device will achieve a locker-out condition; (6) the lockout device is under the exclusive control of the authorized employee performing the servicing or maintenance; (7) the servicing or maintenance does not create hazards for other employees; and (8) the employer, in utilizing this exception, has had no accidents involving the unexpected activation or reenergization of the machine or equipment during servicing or maintenance.  The employer's Lockout/Tagout Energy Control Program did not have specific written procedures when performing servicing, maintenance, and cleaning activities on equipment such as but not limited to:  dryers or conveying equipment used to and from the grain bins and elevator legs, exposing employees to accidental/inadvertent restart of equipment.

Issued

Feb 2, 2021

Abate by

Mar 11, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(4)(ii):  The procedures shall clearly and specifically outline the scope, purpose, authorization, rules, and techniques to be utilized for the control of hazardous energy, and the means to enforce compliance including, but not limited to, the following:  The employer's written Leg Choke Procedures did not specify procedural steps for placement, removal, and transfer of lockout devices nor specific requirements for testing a machine or equipment to determine and verify the effectiveness.

Issued

Feb 2, 2021

Abate by

Mar 11, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(6)(i): The employer shall conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure at least annually to ensure that the procedure and the requirements of this standard are being followed.  The employer did not conduct periodic inspections of their lockout tagout procedures at least annually.

Issued

Feb 2, 2021

Penalty

Initial $7,802 · Current $4,681 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.219(c)(4)(i):  Projecting shaft ends shall present a smooth edge and end and shall not project more than one-half the diameter of the shaft unless guarded by nonrotating caps or safety sleeves.  Bin 1 had a projecting shaft on the outfeed auger system which extended more than one half the diameter, exposing employees to caught in hazards.

Issued

Feb 2, 2021

Abate by

Mar 3, 2021

Penalty

Initial $9,753 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.219(f)(3): Sprockets and chains. All sprocket wheels and chains shall be enclosed unless they are more than seven (7) feet above the floor or platform. Where the drive extends over other machine or working areas, protection against falling shall be provided. This subparagraph does not apply to manually operated sprockets.  (a)   The Continuous Flow Grain Dryer Delux had a chain and sprocket not enclosed located below the main controls, exposing employees to caught in hazards.  (b)  The Continuous Flow Grain Dryer Delux had a chain and sprocket not enclosed located on the unload side, exposing employees to caught in hazards.

Issued

Feb 2, 2021

Abate by

Mar 11, 2021

Penalty

Initial $9,753 · Current $5,852 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.272(e)(1)(ii):  Specific procedures and safety practices applicable to their job tasks including but not limited to, cleaning procedures for grinding equipment, clearing procedures for choked legs, housekeeping procedures, hot work procedures, preventive maintenance procedures and lock-out/tag-out procedures.  The employer did not provide training on an annual basis to employees regarding lockout/tagout procedures to ensure they understood their responsibilities under the program, exposing them to equipment restarting.

Issued

Feb 2, 2021

Abate by

Mar 3, 2021

Penalty

Initial $9,753 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.272(g)(1)(i):  The employer shall issue a permit for entering bins, silos, or tanks unless the employer or the employer's representative (who would otherwise authorize the permit) is present during the entire operation. The permit shall certify that the precautions contained in this paragraph (1910.272(g)) have been implemented prior to employees entering bins, silos, or tanks. The permit shall be kept on file until completion of the entry operations.  In 2020, at the end of October and the beginning November, grain entry permits were not completed prior to entering the 50,000 bin (Bin 4) while performing cleaning tasks, exposing employees to entanglement and asphyxiation hazards.

Issued

Feb 2, 2021

Abate by

Mar 3, 2021

Penalty

Initial $9,753 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.272(g)(3):  An observer, equipped to provide assistance, shall be stationed outside the bin, silo, or tank being entered by an employee. Communications (visual, voice, or signal line) shall be maintained between the observer and employee entering the bin, silo, or tank.  In 2020, at the end of October and early November, employees entering the 50,000 bin to perform sweeping and shoveling activities did not have an observer on the outside of the bin.

Issued

Feb 2, 2021

Abate by

Mar 3, 2021

Penalty

Initial $117,024 · Current $70,214 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.272(g)(1)(ii):  All mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment which presents a danger to employees inside grain storage structures shall be deenergized and shall be disconnected, locked-out and tagged, blocked-off, or otherwise prevented from operating by other equally effective means or methods.  (a)  On or about August 24, 2020, employees entered the 300 bin to perform cleaning activities and remove bin sweep sections without locking out the overhead conveyor, exposing employees to struck by hazards.  (b)  On or about August 25, 2020, employees entered Bin 13 to perform cleaning activities without locking out the overhead conveyor, exposing employees to struck by hazards.  (c)  On or about August 25, 2020, employees entered Bin 13 to perform cleaning activities without locking out the bin sweep, exposing employees to caught in and entanglement hazards.  (d)  In 2020, at the end of October and beginning of November, an employee entered the 5,000 bin to perform cleaning activities without locking out the overhead conveyor, exposing employees to struck by hazards.