OSHA Inspection: MAJESTIC VALLEY PELLETS, LLC

Issued

Feb 21, 2023

Abate by

Apr 17, 2023

Penalty

Initial $4,688 · Current $2,812 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8470E101

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1): The employer did not ensure that all places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms, other surfaces were kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition:  (a) Majestic Valley Pellets: On or before 12/19/22, the employer did not ensure that all surfaces other than floors were free of fugitive wood dust. Fugitive class II dust was present during the normal operations of this facility, which manufactures wood pellets. Dust accumulations existed on the exposed roof trusses, pelletizer and bagging equipment, lights, roof of storage room. This condition exposed employees to deflagration and explosion hazards.

Issued

Feb 21, 2023

Abate by

Apr 17, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8470E101

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(2): The floor of each workroom was not maintained in a clean condition:  (a) Majestic Valley Pellets: On or before 12/19/22, the employer did not ensure that all walking and working surfaces were kept clean and orderly. Fugitive class II wood dust was present during the normal operations of this facility, which manufactures wood pellets. This condition exposed employees to deflagration and explosion hazards.

Issued

Feb 21, 2023

Abate by

Apr 17, 2023

Penalty

Initial $3,349 · Current $2,010 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)(i): The employer did not ensure that each powered industrial truck operator is competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely, as demonstrated by the successful completion of the training and evaluation specified in this paragraph (l):  (a) Majestic Valley Pellets: On or before 12/19/22, the employer did not ensure that forklift operators were trained and evaluated. This condition exposed employees to struck-by and caught-in hazards.

Issued

Feb 21, 2023

Abate by

Mar 27, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(q)(1): Any power-operated industrial truck not in safe operating condition was not taken out of service, and/or repairs were not made by authorized personnel:  (a) Majestic Valley Pellets: On or before 12/19/22, the employer did not ensure that the forklift was free of hazards before allowing it to be used. A hydraulic line was leaking and not repaired before being used to transport pallets of wood pellets.  This condition exposed employees to struck-by and crushing hazards.

Issued

Feb 21, 2023

Abate by

Mar 13, 2023

Penalty

Initial $4,018 · Current $2,410 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(f)(1): Gear(s) were not guarded by a complete enclosure or by one of the methods specified in 29 CFR 1910.219(f)(1)(ii) and (f)(1)(iii):     (a) Majestic Valley Pellets: On or before 12/19/22, the employer did not ensure that chain and sprocket drives were guarded on the dryer motor. This condition exposed employees to ingoing nip point and crushing hazards.  (b) Majestic Valley Pellets: On or before 12/19/22, the employer did not ensure that chain and sprocket drives were guarded on the pelletizer outfeed on the west side of the main building. This condition exposed employees to ingoing nip point and crushing hazards.  (c) Majestic Valley Pellets: On or before 12/19/22, the employer did not ensure that chain and sprocket drives were guarded on both hammer mill assemblies. This condition exposed employees to ingoing nip point and crushing hazards.

Issued

Feb 21, 2023

Abate by

Mar 13, 2023

Penalty

Initial $2,009 · Current $1,205 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(g)(2)(i): Except as elsewhere required or permitted by Subpart S of Part 1910, live parts of electric equipment operating at 50 volts or more were not guarded against accidental contact by use of approved cabinets or other forms of approved enclosures or by any of the means identified in paragraphs (A), (B), (C), and (D) of 29 CFR 1910.303(g)(2)(i):  (a) Majestic Valley Pellets: On or before 12/19/22, the employer did not ensure that all electrical equipment was guarded in accordance with this standard. A 200-AMP electrical service panel was missing its dead-front and was live. This condition exposed employees to electric shock and fire hazards.

Issued

Feb 21, 2023

Abate by

Jul 17, 2023

Penalty

Initial $4,688 · Current $2,813 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8470E101

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.307(c): Equipment, wiring methods, and installations of equipment in hazardous (classified) locations were not intrinsically safe, approved for the hazardous (classified) location, or safe for the hazardous (classified) location:      (a) Majestic Valley Pellets: On or before 12/19/22, the employer did not ensure that all electrical equipment was designed to work in a Class II Division I environment. Fugitive class II dust was present during the normal operations of this facility, which manufactures wood pellets. Dust was covering equipment including but not limited to lights, control terminals, pelletizer equipment, and space heaters. This condition exposed employees to deflagration and explosion hazards.

Issued

Feb 21, 2023

Abate by

Mar 13, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(g)(1)(iv)(A): Flexible cords and/or cables were used as a substitute for the fixed wiring of a structure:       (a) Majestic Valley Pellets: On or before 12/19/22, the employer did not protect employees from injury in that extension cords were used in lieu of permanent wiring in the main building. This condition exposed employees to electrical shock and fire hazards.

Issued

Feb 21, 2023

Abate by

Mar 13, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(g)(1)(iv)(B): Flexible cords and/or cables were run through holes in walls, ceilings, or floors:  (a) Majestic Valley Pellets: On or before 12/19/22, the employer did not protect employees from injury in that an extension cord was run through a hole in the wall from the electrical closet to a post outside the building. This condition exposed employees to electrical shock and fire hazards.