OSHA Inspection: WISCONSIN CHEESE GROUP INC.

Issued

Mar 20, 2023

Penalty

Initial $12,278 · Current $6,261 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.37(a)(3): Exit route(s) were not kept free and unobstructed:  On or about December 13, 2022, an obstructed emergency exit route was observed in the Drain Belt Room.

Issued

Mar 20, 2023

Abate by

Apr 3, 2023

Penalty

Initial $15,625 · Current $7,827 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:  On or about February 14, 2023, and times prior, the employer failed to provide one or more methods of machine guarding to protect operators from hazards associated with the horizontal auger located at the bottom of the Drain Belt's discharge end.

Issued

Mar 20, 2023

Abate by

Apr 3, 2023

Penalty

Initial $15,625 · Current $9,961 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) On or about February 14, 2023, and times prior, the employer failed to evaluate the workplace for permit-required confined spaces. The Drain Belt has not been identified as a permit-required confined space (PRCS) despite having inward converging walls, multiple energy sources, and mechanical agitators which pose a struck-by, struck-against, caught-in, or caught in-between hazards within. Drain belt operators bodily enter through  manway access points to clear jamming of cheese build up.

Issued

Mar 20, 2023

Abate by

Apr 3, 2023

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) On or about February 14, 2023, and times prior the employer allowed for the bodily entry of the Drain Belt through bottom manway access points for the purpose of jam clearing of cheese build up. The employer failed to develop and implement a written permit space program to mitigate potential hazard exposure.

Issued

Mar 20, 2023

Abate by

Apr 3, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(g)(2): The employer did not provide each affected employee training before assigned tasks covered under this section pursuant to 29 CFR 1910.146(g)(2)(i).   On or about February 14, 2023, and times prior the employer failed to provide permit required confined space entry training to Drain Belt Operators that bodily enter through the  manholes on the machine to clear jamming of cheese build up.

Issued

Mar 20, 2023

Abate by

Apr 3, 2023

Penalty

Initial $15,625 · Current $9,961 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(ii): Procedures did not 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, 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(ii)(A), (c)(4)(ii)(B), (c)(4)(ii)(C) and (c)(4)(ii)(D):  (a) On or about December 13, 2022, and times prior, the employer did not ensure that the energy control procedure for the Drain Belt, clearly and specifically outlined the requirements set forth by sub-paragraph 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(ii).   1) The Drain Belt's specific procedural steps for shutting down, isolating, blocking, and securing machine or equipment to control hazardous energy pursuant to 1910.147(c)(4)(ii)(B). The procedure did not address controlling the hazardous energy sources of pneumatic energy and chemical energy prior to performing service and maintenance activities on the equipment.   2) The Drain Belt's lockout tagout procedure does not specifically state how the authorized employee would verify a total deenergized state. The complicated nature of the equipment's controls and multiple energy sources requires additional explanation to ensure the safety of authorized employees.   b) On or about December 13, 2022, and times prior, the employer did not ensure that the energy control procedure for the ALPMA AFE-Line clearly and specifically outlined the requirements set forth by sub-paragraph 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(ii).  1) The ALPMA AFE-Line's specific procedural steps for shutting down, isolating, blocking, and securing machine or equipment to control hazardous energy pursuant to 1910.147(c)(4)(ii)(B). The procedure did not address controlling the hazardous energy sources of pneumatic energy and chemical energy prior to performing service and maintenance activities on the equipment.

Issued

Mar 20, 2023

Abate by

Apr 3, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(6)(i): The employer did not conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure at least annually to ensure that the procedure and the requirement of this standard were being followed including, but not limited to, 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(6)(i)(A), (c)(6)(i)(B), (c)(6)(i)(C) and (c)(6)(i)(D):  a) On or about December 13, 2022, the employer failed to conduct a periodic inspection to correct deviations or inadequacies with the Drain Belt's energy control procedure pursuant to  29 CFR 1910.147(c)(6)(i)(B).  b) On or about December 13, 2022, the employer failed to conduct a periodic inspection to correct deviations or inadequacies with the Shrink Tunnel's energy control procedure pursuant to  29 CFR 1910.147(c)(6)(i)(B).

Issued

Mar 20, 2023

Abate by

Apr 3, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(6)(ii): The employer did not certify that periodic inspections of the energy control procedures had been performed:  (a) On or about December 13, 2022, the employer did not certify that authorized employees have been evaluated at least once annually.

Issued

Mar 20, 2023

Abate by

Apr 3, 2023

Penalty

Initial $15,625 · Current $9,961 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A): Authorized employee(s) did not receive training in the recognition of applicable hazardous energy sources, the type and magnitude of the energy available in the workplace, and the methods and means necessary for energy isolation:  a) On or about February 14, 2023, and times prior at the workplace, the employer failed to provide authorized employees training prior to engaging in servicing and maintenance activities, such as Drain Belt jam clearing, set-up, or sanitation break-down.   b) On or about December 21, 2022, and times prior at the workplace, the employer failed to provide authorized employees training prior to engaging in servicing and maintenance activities, such as Alpma AFE-Line jam clearing, set-up, or sanitation break-down.

Issued

Mar 20, 2023

Abate by

Apr 3, 2023

Penalty

Initial $15,625 · Current $9,961 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(d)(2): The machine or equipment was not turned off or shut down using the procedures established for the machine or equipment:  a) On or about February 14, 2023, and times prior. The employer did not ensure employees implemented energy control procedures prior to engaging in maintenance or servicing activities on the Drain Belt, such as unjamming, set-up, and sanitation teardown.  b) On or about December 21, 2022, and times prior; The employer did not ensure employees implemented energy control procedures prior to engaging in maintenance or servicing activities on the ALPMA AFE-Line, such as unjamming, set-up, and sanitation teardown.