OSHA Inspection: NORTHLAND COLD STORAGE INC.

Issued

Apr 3, 2023

Abate by

May 1, 2023

Penalty

Initial $2,846 · Current $1,992 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.28(b)(3)(iv):  The employer must ensure 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:  At a facility located at 2490 S. Broadway Street in Green Bay, WI; the employer did not protect employees from falling into ladderway floor holes with self-closing gates at the entrances to the holes:  a)  In the compressor room, the ladder floor hole exposed employees to a fall of approximately 53 inches into the pit where the ammonia refrigeration system's recirculator vessels were located.  b)  Outside at the top of a fixed caged ladder for accessing a roof of the facility, the ladder hole exposed employees on the roof to a fall of greater than 15 feet to the ground below.

Issued

Apr 3, 2023

Abate by

May 1, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.30(a)(1):  Before any employee is exposed to a fall hazard, the employer must provide training for each employee who uses personal fall protection systems or who is required to be trained as specified elsewhere in this subpart.  Employers must ensure employees are trained in the requirements of this paragraph on or before May 17, 2017:  At a facility located at 2490 S. Broadway Street in Green Bay, WI; the employer did not provide training for each employee who was required by this subpart to be trained before employees were exposed to fall hazards. Employees were exposed to falls when working on the low-sloped roofs of the facility, and the employer did not provide them with training from a qualified person regarding designated areas, work rules prohibiting employees from going within 15 feet of the roof edge without fall protection or how to recognize falls in general industry.

Issued

Apr 3, 2023

Abate by

Jun 13, 2023

Penalty

Initial $2,846 · Current $1,992 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0170

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.119(d)(3)(i)(B):  The employer shall complete a compilation of written process safety information before conducting any process hazard analysis required by the standard. This process safety information shall include information pertaining to the equipment in the process including piping and instrument diagrams (P&ID's):  At a facility located at 2490 S. Broadway Street in Green Bay, WI; the employer did not have a complete compilation of process safety information pertaining to the equipment in the process including piping and instrument diagrams. Deficiencies in the completeness of the ammonia refrigeration system (ARS) and its associated P&IDs included, but were not limited to, the following:  a)  None of the valves, gauges, sensors or other appurtenances identified on the employer's P&ID sheets (please reference sheet numbers R-01, R-02, R-03 and R-08) contained identification values to match them with labels observed on the Low Stage Recirculator (VESS 03), the High Stage Recirculator (VESS 04), a Low Temp Screw Compressor (COMP-57), the High Pressure Receiver (Vessel 02), or above an Evapco evaporator unit (AU-103).  b)  A purge pipe with valve (tagged as LS COMP. 57 9) at top of Compressor 57 was not drawn or indicated onto P&ID sheet number R-02.  c)  At Vessel 03, a pipe on the front of the vessel was labeled with the abbreviation LTRL was identified as HRTL on P&ID sheet No. R-01.  d)  A header pipe from Vessel 04 was labeled with the abbreviation HSS with branches going to compressors 26, 28, 60 and 61 which were labeled as HRTS. However, P&ID sheet No. R-02 identified those branch pipes as HSS.  e)  A header pipe from Vessel 04, after the reducer, was labeled with the abbreviation HTRS along the header and branches going to compressors 57, 58 and 59. However, P&ID sheet No. R-02 identified that header and branches as ECON.  f)  At a low temperature screw compressor (COMP-57), a branch pipe and its header were labeled with the abbreviation LIC. However, P&ID sheet No. R-02 identified that branch and header as HPL.  g)  At Vessel 02, a pipe on the back of the vessel was labeled with the abbreviation HG was no identified as such on P&ID sheet No. R-03.  h)  At an Evapco evaporator (AU-103), a pipe header was labeled with the abbreviation HTS with a branch to AU-103 labeled as DC. However, P&ID sheet No. R-08 indicated that branch and header as Dr.

Issued

Apr 3, 2023

Abate by

May 10, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0170

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.119(d)(3)(ii):  The employer shall document that equipment complies with recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices:  At a facility located at 2490 S. Broadway Street in Green Bay, WI; the employer did not document that equipment complied with recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices (RAGEGEP) such as, but not limited to:  a)  Vessels associated with the ammonia refrigeration system (ARS) containing anhydrous ammonia; including but not limited to the Low Stage Recirculator (Vessel 03), High Stage Recirculator (Vessel 04), and High Pressure Receiver (Vessel 02). The employer failed to document compliance with the employer's chosen RAGAGEP including IIAR Bulletin 114 - "Guidelines for Identification of Ammonia Refrigeration Piping and System Components" when these vessels were either not labeled (Vessel 02) or were not labeled in the manner defined by the employer's chosen RAGAGEP (Vessel 03 and Vessel 04).  This hazardous condition exposed employees to the hazard of inhalation and burns from anhydrous ammonia liquid and vapors.  b)  Portions of piping associated with the ARS containing anhydrous ammonia; including but not limited to piping between the High Pressure Receiver (Vessel 02) and rooftop evaporative condensers. The employer failed to document compliance with the employer's chosen RAGAGEP including IIAR Bulletin 114 - "Guidelines for Identification of Ammonia Refrigeration Piping and System Components" when these pipes were either not labeled with the RAGAGEP defined abbreviations, physical state, the word "AMMONIA", pressure level, and directional flow (arrow). This hazardous condition exposed employees to the hazard of inhalation and burns from anhydrous ammonia liquid and vapors.  c)  Portions of piping associated with the ARS containing anhydrous ammonia; including but not limited to piping servicing all three compressors (COMP-59, COMP-58, and COMP-57) in the compressor room, between the High Pressure Receiver (Vessel 02) and rooftop evaporative condensers, and servicing an Evapco evaporator (AU-103). The employer failed to document compliance with the employer's chosen RAGAGEP including IIAR Bulletin 114 - "Guidelines for Identification of Ammonia Refrigeration Piping and System Components" when these pipes were labeled with abbreviations that were not defined or contained within the employer's chosen RAGAGEP.  This hazardous condition exposed employees to the hazard of inhalation and burns from anhydrous ammonia liquid and vapors.  d) Portions of piping associated with the ARS containing anhydrous ammonia; including but not limited to piping at the Low Stage Recirculator (Vessel 03), High Stage Recirculator (Vessel 04), a Low Temp Screw Compressor (COMP-57), and an Evapco evaporator (AU-103). The employer failed to document compliance with the employer's chosen RAGAGEP including IIAR Bulletin 109 - "Guidelines for IIAR Minimum Safety Criteria for a Safe Ammonia Refrigeration System" when the pipes associated with the evaporator were not kept free from excessive buildup of ice, and where the employer did not remove and correct the condition(s) that caused ice buildup which could endanger refrigerant piping or other components, such as but not limited to valves, gages, and motors. This hazardous condition exposed employees to the hazard of inhalation and burns from anhydrous ammonia liquid and vapors.

Issued

Apr 3, 2023

Abate by

May 22, 2023

Penalty

Initial $2,846 · Current $1,992 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0170

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.119(e)(3)(v):  The process hazards analysis (PHA) shall address facility siting:  At a facility located at 2490 S. Broadway Street in Green Bay, WI; the employer's initial PHA (2014) and updated PHA (2019) did not address facility siting. The employer did not evaluate occupied structures exposed to explosion, fire, or toxic hazards such as, but not limited to, the electrical room and warehouse hallway immediately adjacent to the compressor room. The employer did not evaluate access to the emergency shut-off "King Valves" located immediately adjacent to the outdoor High Pressure Receiver behind a locked fence.

Issued

Apr 3, 2023

Penalty

Initial $2,846 · Current $1,992 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0170

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.119(f)(1)(i)(F):  The employer shall develop and implement written operating procedures that provide clear instructions for safely conducting activities involved in each covered process consistent with the process safety information and shall address steps for each operating phase, including normal shutdown:  At a facility located at 2490 S. Broadway Street in Green Bay, WI; the employer did not develop operating procedures with clear instructions on the steps for each operating phase, including normal shutdown. The operating procedure for "Air Unit; SOP #5.2 for AU #103" under the normal shutdown operating phase did not contain steps for defrosting the evaporator prior to steps for closing valves to isolate the equipment from anhydrous ammonia contained in the ammonia refrigeration system (ARS).

Issued

Apr 3, 2023

Abate by

May 1, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0170

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.119(f)(1)(iii)(C):  The employer shall develop and implement written operating procedures that provide clear instructions for safely conducting activities involved in each covered process consistent with the process safety information and shall address safety and health considerations including control measures to be taken if physical contact or airborne exposure occurs:  At a facility located at 2490 S. Broadway Street in Green Bay, WI; the employer did not develop operating procedures with clear instructions on measures to be taken if there was physical contact or air borne exposure to anhydrous ammonia from the ammonia refrigeration system (ARS).

Issued

Apr 3, 2023

Abate by

May 1, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0170

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.119(f)(3):  The operating procedures shall be reviewed as often as necessary to assure that they reflect current operating practice, including changes that result from changes in process chemicals, technology, and equipment, and changes to facilities. The employer shall certify annually that these operating procedures are current and accurate:   At a facility located at 2490 S. Broadway Street in Green Bay, WI; the employer did not annually certify that operating procedures were current and accurate.

Issued

Apr 3, 2023

Abate by

May 10, 2023

Penalty

Initial $2,846 · Current $1,992 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0170

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.119(j)(2):  The employer shall establish and implement written procedures to maintain the on-going integrity of process equipment:  At a facility located at 2490 S. Broadway Street in Green Bay, WI; the employer did not establish and implement a written procedural steps or instructions to assure mechanical integrity of the equipment. The employer did not have written procedures for the inspection and testing of insulated piping and vessels of the ammonia refrigeration system (ARS).