OSHA Inspection: A. L. KAUFFMAN & SONS, INC.

Issued

Oct 27, 2022

Penalty

Initial $7,396 · Current $3,000 Reduced

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 was 4 feet (1.2 m) or more above a lower level was protected from falling by one or more of the following: Guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems:  Press Room - The employer did not ensure that employees were protected from an 8 foot - 5 inch fall while working on top of an open sided apple shredder, on or about August 25, 2022.  No abatement certification or documentation required.

Issued

Oct 27, 2022

Abate by

Dec 1, 2022

Penalty

Initial $5,801 · Current $2,020 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(c)(1): The employer did not evaluate the workplace to determine if any spaces were permit-required confined spaces:  a) Facility-Wide - The employer had not evaluated the workplace to determine if spaces were permit-required confined spaces, on or about April 27, 2022. The facility contained permit-required confined spaces such as, but not limited to, 1600-gallon and 2100-gallon cider tanks, a 750-gallon portable cider tank, and a cistern.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Oct 27, 2022

Abate by

Dec 1, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(c)(2): Where the workplace contained permit spaces, the employer did not inform exposed employees, by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means, of the existence and location of and the danger posed by the permit spaces:  a) Facility-Wide - The employer had not informed employees of the existence and location of, and the danger posed by multiple permit-required confined spaces through the posting of danger signs or other equally effective means, on or about April 27, 2022. The facility contained permit-required confined spaces such as, but not limited to, 1600-gallon and 2100-gallon cider tanks, a mobile cider tank, and a cistern.   Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Oct 27, 2022

Abate by

Dec 1, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(c)(4): When the employer decided that its employees would enter permit spaces, the employer did not develop and implement a written permit space entry program that complied with 29 CFR 1910.146:  a) Facility-Wide - The employer did not develop and implement a written permit-required confined space entry program for employees entering cider tanks to perform cleaning activities, on or about April 27, 2022.   Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Oct 27, 2022

Abate by

Dec 1, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(g)(1): The employer did not provide training so that all employees whose work was regulated by 29 CFR 1910.146 (permit-required confined spaces) acquired the understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary for the safe performance of the duties assigned under 29 CFR 1910.146:   a) Facility-Wide - The employer did not provide permit-required confined space training to all employees required to enter cider tanks to perform cleaning activities and to employees acting as attendants, on or about April 27, 2022.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Oct 27, 2022

Abate by

Dec 1, 2022

Penalty

Initial $8,702 · Current $7,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(1): The employer did not establish a program consisting of an energy control procedures, employee training and periodic inspections to ensure that before any employee performed any servicing or maintenance on a machine or equipment where the unexpected energizing, startup or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the machine or equipment shall be isolated from the energy source and rendered inoperative:   a) Facility-Wide - The employer did not establish a lockout/tagout program consisting of energy control procedures, periodic inspections and training to ensure employees were protected before starting service or maintenance on machines or equipment, on or about April 27, 2022.   Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Oct 27, 2022

Abate by

Dec 1, 2022

Penalty

Initial $4,351 · Current $2,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.178(l)(4)(iii): An evaluation of each powered industrial truck operator's performance was not being conducted at least once every three years:  a) Facility-Wide - The employer failed to ensure that an evaluation of each powered industrial truck operator's performance was conducted at least once every three years, on or about August 25, 2022.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Oct 27, 2022

Penalty

Initial $4,351 · Current $2,000 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:  a) Press Room - A safety interlock was bypassed on the Press which exposed employees to ingoing nip points created by rollers, on or about August 25, 2022.  No abatement certification or documentation required.

Issued

Oct 27, 2022

Abate by

Nov 23, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.178(f)(2):The storage and handling of liquefied petroleum gas fuel was not in accordance with NFPA Storage and Handling of Liquefied Petroleum Gases (NFPA No. 58-1969), which is incorporated by reference as specified in Sec. 1910.6:  a) Rear-side of Facility, Parking Lot - The employer did not ensure that storage and handling of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) fuel was in accordance with NFPA 58-1969 "Storage and Handling of Liquified Petroleum Gases". Employees operated LPG fueled forklifts. A "No Smoking" sign was not posted where LPG was dispensed from a 1000-gallon storage tank and used to refill 33-pound LPG forklift tanks, on or about August 25, 2022.  b) Rear-side of Facility, Parking Lot - The employer did not ensure that storage and handling of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) fuel was in accordance with NFPA 58-1969 "Storage and Handling of Liquified Petroleum Gases". Employees operated LPG fueled forklifts. At least one portable fire extinguisher having at least an 8-B, C, rating was not provided where LPG was dispensed from a 1000-gallon storage tank and used to refill 33-pound LPG forklift tanks, on or about August 25, 2022.  c) Rear-side of Facility, Parking Lot - The employer did not ensure that storage and handling of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) fuel was in accordance with NFPA 58-1969 "Storage and Handling of Liquified Petroleum Gases". Employees operated LPG fueled forklifts. A single 33-pound LPG forklift tank was stored outside of and next to the available gas cylinder storage cage, and the gas cylinder storage cage was not located so as to minimize tampering by unauthorized persons, on or about August 25, 2022.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.