OSHA Inspection: OBERWEIS DAIRY, INC.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Penalty

Initial $5,851 · Current $2,926 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.36(d)(1):Employees must be able to open an exit route door from the inside at all times without keys, tools, or special knowledge. A device such as a panic bar that locks only from the outside is permitted on exit discharge doors.  a) Boiler Room, North Exit Door.  On or about April 9, 2021, the exit door was locked with a slide lock at floor level, exposing employees to delayed egress and smoke inhalation in the event of a fire.  There is no abatement documentation or certification required for this item.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.36(g)(4):Objects that projected into the exit route reduced the width of the exit route to less than the minimum width requirements for exit routes.  a) Freezer Area, West Exit Door.  On or about April 9, 2021, the exit route width was reduced to approx. 24 inches by stored product, exposing employees to smoke inhalation and strains and sprains during egress in the event of a fire.  b) Freezer Area, East Exit Door.  On or about April 9, 2021 the exit route width was reduced to approximately 13 inches by stored product, exposing employees to smoke inhalation strains and sprains during egress in the event of a fire.    There is no abatement documentation or certification required for this item.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Jan 18, 2022

Penalty

Initial $9,753 · Current $4,877 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(4)(i): Procedures were not developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees were engaged in activities covered by this section:   a) Plastics Line, Fogg Filler Machine.  On or about April 9, 2021, the employer did not develop, document and utilize energy control procedures for employees who performed servicing and maintenance activities such as cleaning and sanitation of the machine.  Employees did not deenergize and lock out the machine prior to cleaning rotating parts with hand-held cloths and were exposed to fracture and amputation hazards.    Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Jan 18, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(7)(i):The employer did not provide adequate training to ensure that the purpose and function of the energy control program was understood by employees:  a) Plastics Line, Fogg Filler. On or about April 9, 2021, employees who cleaned and sanitized the machine did so while the machine was running, exposing them to fractures and amputation hazards.  Production employees had not received training in deenergizing and locking out the machine prior to performing servicing and maintenance activities such as cleaning.    Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Oct 22, 2021

Penalty

Initial $9,753 · Current $4,877 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.212(a)(1):One or more methods of machine guarding was not provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips and sparks:  Machines were not adequately guarded as follows:    a)  Del-Kor Film Wrap Machine. On or about April 9, 2021, barrier guards with interlocked safety switches were missing from the machine, exposing employees to rotating parts.  b) Del-Kor Film Wrap Machine, Sealer Bar Area.  On or about August 3, 2021, access to the sealer bar area was not adequately guarded to prevent an employee's hand from being caught in the point of operation.    c)  Wepackit Uncaser Machine.  On or about April 9 to August 3, 2021, barrier guards with interlocked safety switches were missing from the sides of the machine, exposing employees to rotating parts.  d) Tekkra Film Wrap Machine.  On or about April 9 to August 19, 2021, barrier guards were missing from the machine, exposing employees to rotating parts.  There is no abatement documentation or certification required for items a) and c), which were Corrected During Inspection  Abatement documentation is required for items b) and d) in accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d)

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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) PAC Bottle Washing Machine.  On or about April 9, 2021, two cover guards on the side of the machine were removed, exposing employees to chain and sprocket hazards.  There is no abatement documentation or certification required for this item.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Jan 3, 2022

Penalty

Initial $9,753 · Current $4,877 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.303(b)(7)(iv):There were damaged parts adversely affecting safe operation or mechanical strength of equipment, such that parts were broken, bent, cut, or deteriorated by corrosion, chemical action, or overheating.  On or about April 9, 2021 to August 3, 2021, the following electrical equipment did not have functioning electrical disconnect switches that were capable of isolating the energy source and being locked out.  Maintenance technicians were exposed to electrical burns and shock injuries.  a) Electrical cabinet for the Metal and Plastic line conveyors.  b) Electrical cabinet for the Wepackit Uncaser machine.  Abatement documentation is required for this item  accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Jan 3, 2022

Penalty

Initial $9,753 · Current $4,877 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.332(b)(1):  Employees shall be trained in and familiar with the safety-related work practices required by 1910.331 through 1910.335 that pertain to their respective job assignments:    On or about April 9, 2021 through August 19, 2021, maintenance employees performed troubleshooting and servicing tasks on or near energized electrical components, including voltage testing up to 480v.  Employees were not trained in and familiar with safety-related work practices including the purpose and necessity of wearing electrical personal protective equipment, such as but not limited to, voltage-rated gloves with leather protectors, when working on or near energized components at or above 50 volts.   Employees were exposed to the hazards of shock, electrocution and arc flash/blast injuries.      Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Jan 3, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.333(a): Safety-related work practices were not employed to prevent electric shock or other injuries resulting from either direct or indirect electrical contacts, when work was performed near or on equipment or circuits which were or could be energized:  On or about April 9, 2021 through August 19, 2019, maintenance employees performed troubleshooting and servicing tasks on or near energized electrical components, including voltage testing.  Employees did not utilize safety-related work practices to prevent injuries from direct or indirect electrical contacts, such as by wearing electrical protective equipment at all times when working on or near energized components at or above 50v.     Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Jan 3, 2022

Penalty

Initial $9,753 · Current $4,877 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.335(a)(1)(i):  Employees working in areas where there were potential electrical hazards did not use or were not provided with electrical protective equipment that was appropriate for the specific parts of the body that needed to be protected and for the work being performed:        On or about April 9, 2021 through August 19, 2021, maintenance employees who performed work on or around energized electrical components at or above 50v did not wear electrical protective equipment appropriate for the level of exposure , to protect against shock, electrocution and arc flash/blast injuries, including:   1)     Hand protection: Rubber insulating gloves with leather protectors or arc-rated gloves      2)     Apparel: Arc-rated clothing such as arc-rated long-sleeve shirt and pants or arc-rated coverall           3)     Head and face protection: Arc-rated face shield, arc-rated hard hat, arc-rated flash suit hood and/or balaclava.        4)     Hearing protection: Hearing protectors (canal inserts).        Abatement documentation is required for this item in accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d).   Abatement Note:  For compliance assistance, refer to NFPA 70E national consensus standard, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, 2018 Edition, www.NFPA.org.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.22(a)(1): The employer did not ensure that all places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces are kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition.  a) Dry Warehouse, Stairway Access to 2nd Floor Maintenance Shop.  On or about August 3, 2021, access to the stairway to the upper level maintenance shop was blocked by storage of materials on and around the steps.  There is no documentation or certification required for this item.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.165(e): Manual operation. The employer shall assure that manually operated actuation devices for use in conjunction with employee alarms are unobstructed, conspicuous and readily accessible.  a) Dry Warehouse.  On or about August 3, 2021, a manual fire alarm pull box on the warehouse wall was obstructed by palletized material, exposing employees to delayed notification in the event of a fire.  There is no documentation or certification required for this item.