OSHA Inspection: SUNOPTA GRAINS AND FOODS INC.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Abate by

May 12, 2022

Penalty

Initial $10,360 · Current $10,360

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(c): The employer did not provide, and ensure each employee uses, a safe means of access and egress to and from walking-working surfaces:  (a) On or about November 8, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, for the employee who was exposed to a fall hazard of approximately 7 feet 6 inches when accessing and egressing from the boot pit where the ladder into the boot pit was approximately 2 feet 6 inches away from the nearest walking-working surface and required stepping over the opening of the boot pit.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Abate by

May 12, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.22(d)(1): The employer did not ensure that walking-working surfaces were inspected, regularly and as necessary, and maintained in a safe condition.   (a) On or about November 16, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, the employer did not regularly inspect walking-working surfaces for conditions that create or contribute to unsafe working conditions. The stairs on the elevating leg, and the loadout bin walkway had multiple holes over 2 inch by 2 inch in size creating trip and potential fall hazard from elevated working surfaces.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1)(i): The employer did not ensure that each employee on a walking-working surface with an unprotected side or edge that is 4 feet (1.2 m) or more above a lower level is protected from falling:  (a) On or about November 16, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, for the employee who was exposed to a fall hazard of 15 feet or greater when working from the platform above the Omni seed cleaner.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Abate by

May 12, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.29(b)(2): The employer did not ensure that guardrail systems met the requirement that midrails, screens, mesh, intermediate vertical members, solid panels, or equivalent intermediate members are installed between the walking-working surface and the top edge of the guardrail system:  (a) On or about November 16, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, for the employee who was exposed to a fall hazard where the elevating leg stairs was missing a midrail.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Abate by

May 12, 2022

Penalty

Initial $14,502 · Current $14,502

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(15): Walking-working surfaces not otherwise addressed. Except as provided elsewhere in this section or by other subparts of this part, the employer did not ensure each employee on a walking-working surface 4 feet (1.2 m) or more above a lower level is protected from falling by one of the systems listed in 1910.28(b)(15)(i)-(iii):  (a) On or about November 16, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, for the employee who was exposed to a fall hazard of approximately 75 feet where the walkway stairs to access  bin 101 were not connected to the bin leaving an open space to step over, the guardrails of the walkway stairs did not connect to the guardrails of the bin, and there were no available anchor points.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Abate by

May 12, 2022

Penalty

Initial $10,360 · Current $10,360

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.36(b)(1): At least two exit routes were not available in the workplace to permit prompt evacuation of employees and other building occupants during an emergency. The exit routes must be located as far away as practical from each other so that if one exit route is blocked by fire or smoke, employees can evacuate using the second exit route:  (a) On or about November 16, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, for the employees working on the second, third, and fourth floors of the seed cleaner building where the only means of egress is the man lift ladder.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Abate by

May 12, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(o)(1): The employer did not provide at least two means of emergency escape from galleries (bin decks) in the grain handling facility:  (a) On or about November 16, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, for the employees working the bin levels of main elevator bins, the 20,0000 bushel bins, and the 50,000 bushel bins where there was no secondary egress or where secondary egress was blocked.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Penalty

Initial $14,502 · Current $14,502

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.68(e)(1): Manlifts found to be unsafe were not taken out of service until properly repaired:  (a) On or about November 16, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, for the man lift found to malfunction at times when operating. The malfunctions resulted in the man lift free-falling unpredictable distances while being operated. The  employer did not take the man lift out of service.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Abate by

Apr 22, 2022

Penalty

Initial $14,502 · Current $14,502

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(d)(5)(i): The employer failed to test conditions in the permit space to determine if acceptable entry conditions existed before entry was authorized to begin:   (a) On or about November 8, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, for the employees exposed to hazards when entering the boot pit for cleaning and maintenance activities.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Abate by

Apr 22, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(d)(6): The employer did not provide at least one attendant outside the permit space into which entry was authorized for the duration of entry operations:  (a) On or about November 8, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, for the employees who entered the boot pit for maintenance and cleaning activities. An attendant was not stationed outside the boot pit to monitor conditions within the space and provide assistance when needed.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Abate by

Apr 22, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(e)(1): Before entry was authorized, the employer did not document the completion of measures required by 29 CFR 1910.146(d)(3) by preparing an entry permit:  (a) On or about November 8, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, for the employees who entered the boot pit for cleaning and maintenance activities. Safety measures were not implemented, performed, or verified through the completion of an entry permit.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Penalty

Initial $6,215 · Current $6,215

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(d)(1): Pulley(s) with part(s) seven feet or less from the floor or work platform were not guarded:  (a) On or about November 16, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, for the employee exposed to caught-in hazards by the pulleys connected to the air compressor motor.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Abate by

Apr 22, 2022

Penalty

Initial $145,027 · Current $47,233 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(1)(i): The employer did not issue a permit for entering bins, silos or tanks in the grain handling facility before the employees entered the bins, silos, or tanks:  (a) On or about October 19, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, for the employees who entered bin 206 for cleaning. Safety measures were not implemented, performed, or verified through the completion of an entry permit.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Abate by

Apr 22, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(1)(ii): Prior to bin entry, all mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment which presented a danger to employees inside grain storage structures in the grain handling facility were not disconnected, locked out and tagged, blocked-off, or otherwise prevented from operating by other equally effective means or methods:  (a) On or about October 19, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, for the employee exposed to caught-in hazards while cleaning out bin 206 where the sweep auger and takeout auger were in operation.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Abate by

Apr 22, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(1)(iii): The atmosphere within a bin, silo, or tank in the grain handling facility was not tested for the presence of combustible gases, vapors, and toxic agents prior to employee entry:  (a) On or about November 17, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, for the employees entering grain bins for cleaning operations, the interior of the bins were not tested to ensure acceptable entry conditions existed prior to entry.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Abate by

Apr 22, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(3): In the grain handling facility an observer, equipped to provide assistance, was not stationed outside the bin, silo, or tank being entered by an employee:  (a) On or about November 4, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, for the employees who entered bins without an attendant stationed outside the bin to assist in hazard identification and summon rescue services.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Abate by

May 12, 2022

Penalty

Initial $1,163 · Current $1,163

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(g)(3): The employer did not provide training that established employee proficiency in the duties required by 29 CFR 1910.146, permit-required confined spaces, and did not introduce new or revised procedures, as necessary, for compliance:  (a) On or about November 8, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, the employer failed to train employees in the safe entry procedures associated with permit-required confined spaces, where the boot pit was entered for cleaning and elevating leg maintenance activities without implementing necessary elements of permit space entry such as, but not limited to, entry permit, atmospheric testing, and an attendant.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Abate by

May 12, 2022

Penalty

Initial $1,163 · Current $1,163

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(e)(1): The employer did not provide training to employees at least annually and when changes in job assignments would expose them to new hazards in the grain handling facilities:  (a) On or about November 17, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, the employer failed to train employees in the recognition of hazards, or methods to control hazards associated with grain handling such as, but not limited to, accumulations of combustible grain dust and ignition sources in hazard classified locations.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Abate by

May 12, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(b)(7)(iv): There were damaged parts that may adversely affect safe operation or mechanical strength of electric equipment, such as parts that were broken, bent, cut or deteriorated by corrosion, chemical action, or overheating:  (a) On or about November 17, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, for the conduit encasing electrical wiring was disconnected or broken exposing the wire to the outside elements on bin 101.

Issued

Apr 18, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.307(c)(2)(i): Equipment in hazardous (classified) location(s) was not approved for the class of location:  (a) On or about November 17, 2021, and at times prior, at 410 South Railroad Avenue in Grace City, North Dakota, for the general service motor (ID number  P18G312A Type P) was used to provide electrical power to the air compressor in a hazard classified location.