OSHA Inspection: SALM PARTNERS LLC

Issued

Jun 13, 2023

Abate by

Oct 2, 2023

Penalty

Initial $14,063 · Current $7,032 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(4)(ii):The procedures shall 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 (c)(4)(ii)(A) through (c)(4)(ii)(D) of this section.  At the establishment located at 625 Hager Road, Denmark, Wisconsin; the employer did not ensure that the equipment specific energy control procedures clearly and specifically outlined the rules and techniques necessary to control hazardous energy for employees who perform servicing and/or maintenance operations, such as but not limited to sanitation, exposing employees to struck by and caught between or under hazards in the following instances:  a) The energy control procedures for the QX6 Collagen Dumper, QX6 Handtmann Grinder Stuffer, QX7 Collagen Dumper, and QX6 Handtmann Grinder Stuffer did not identify specific requirements for testing to determine and verify the effectiveness of lockout devices.  b) The energy control procedure for the QX8 Cook and Chill Rooms did not identify specific procedural steps for shutting down the equipment, identify all sources of potentially hazardous energy, such as but not limited to hot water, and procedural steps for the placement of lockout devices for each source of hazardous energy, such as but not limited to hot water.  c) The energy control procedures for the QX8 Case Pack Room, QX8 Rapid Pack Room, QX8 Tower Room, and QX8 Stuffing Room did not identify specific procedural steps for shutting down the equipment and the magnitude of each source of hazardous energy, such as but not limited to electrical, pneumatic, steam and thermal.  d) The energy control procedures for the QX6 Case Pack, QX6 Exit Conveyors, QX6 Infeed Tower Exit Conveyor, QX6 Stuffers & Belt, QX7 Case Pack, QX7 Exit Conveyors, QX7 Infeed Tower Exit Conveyor, and QX7 Stuffers & Belt did not identify specific procedural steps for isolating each source of hazardous energy, such as but not limited to electrical, procedural steps for the placement of lockout devices for each source of hazardous energy, such as but not limited to electrical, and specific requirements for testing to determine and verify the effectiveness of lockout devices.  e) The energy control procedures for the QX6 Combo Dumper, QX6 Rapid Packs, QX6 X-Ray Metal Detect with Reject Conveyor, QX7 Case Pack, QX7 Combo Dumper, QX7 Rapid Packs, and QX7 X-Ray Metal Detect with Reject Conveyor did not identify specific procedural steps for isolating each source of hazardous energy, such as but not limited to electrical, pneumatic, and vacuum procedural steps for the placement of lockout devices for each source of hazardous energy, such as but not limited to electrical, pneumatic, and vacuum, all sources of potentially hazardous energy, such as but not limited to pneumatic, radiation, and vacuum, and specific requirements for testing to determine and verify the effectiveness of lockout devices.  f) The energy control procedures for the QX6 Stuffing/Drying Infeed Conveyor, Pre-Drying Unit, Smoke Unit and Drying Unit, and QX7 Stuffing/Drying Infeed Conveyor, Pre-Drying Unit, Smoke Unit and Drying Unit did not identify the magnitude of each source of hazardous energy, such as but not limited to steam, thermal, specific procedural steps for isolating each source of hazardous energy, such as but not limited to electrical and steam, procedural steps for the placement of lockout devices for each source of hazardous energy, such as but not limited to electrical steam, and specific requirements for testing to determine and verify the effectiveness of lockout devices.

Issued

Jun 13, 2023

Abate by

Oct 2, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(6)(i): The employer shall conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure at least annually to ensure that the procedure and the requirements of this standard are being followed.  On or about January 3, 2023, at the establishment located at 625 Hager Road, Denmark, Wisconsin; the employer did not ensure that an annual periodic inspection for each energy control procedure, such as but not limited to the QX6 Collagen Dumper, QX6 Combo Dumper, QX6 Exit Conveyors, QX6 Handtmann Grinder Stuffer, QX6 Infeed Tower Exit Conveyor, QX6 Rapid Packs, QX6 Stuffers & Belt, QX6 Stuffing/Drying Infeed Conveyor, and Pre-Drying Unit, Smoke Unit and Drying Unit, and QX6 X-Ray Metal Detect with Reject Conveyor, was conducted to identify any deviations or inadequacies for correction, exposing employees caught-in and struck-by hazards associated with unexpected start-up or release of hazardous energies.

Issued

Jun 13, 2023

Abate by

Oct 2, 2023

Penalty

Initial $14,063 · Current $7,032 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(d): The established procedure for the application of energy control (the lockout or tagout procedures) did not cover the actions listed in and was not done in sequence as required by 29 CFR 1910.147(d)(1)-(6):  a) On or about April 15, 2023, at the establishment located at 625 Hager Road, Denmark, Wisconsin; at the QX6 RapidPak, an employee was exposed to machine hazards associated with moving parts when they engaged in sanitation activities on the QX6 RapidPak. The employer did not ensure that an employee had implemented energy control application steps or equivalent protective measures prior to allowing them to perform sanitation.  The machine was not deenergized, such as but not limited to pneumatic and vacuum, prior to the employee engaging in the servicing / maintenance activity.  b) On or about April 20, 2023, at the establishment located at 625 Hager Road, Denmark, Wisconsin; at the QX7 RapidPak, an employee was exposed to machine hazards associated with moving parts when they engaged in sanitation activities on the QX7 RapidPak. The employer did not ensure that an employee had implemented energy control application steps or equivalent protective measures prior to allowing them to perform sanitation.  The machine was not deenergized, such as but not limited to pneumatic and vacuum, prior to the employee engaging in the servicing / maintenance activity.  c) On or about April 25, 2023, at the establishment located at 625 Hager Road, Denmark, Wisconsin; in the QX8 Stuffing Room, employees were exposed to machine hazards associated with moving parts when they engaged in sanitation activities on the QX8 Handtmann Stuffer. The employer did not ensure that employees verified the deenergization of hazardous energy prior to allowing them to perform sanitation. The machine was not deenergized, such as but not limited to electrical, prior to the employee engaging in the servicing / maintenance activity.  d) On or about May 5, 2023, at the establishment located at 625 Hager Road, Denmark, Wisconsin; in the QX8 Stuffing Room, an employee was exposed to machine hazards associated with moving parts when they engaged in sanitation activities on the QX8 Pre-Dry towards Infeed Section. The employer did not ensure that an employee had implemented energy control application steps or equivalent protective measures prior to allowing them to perform sanitation.  The machine was not deenergized, such as but not limited to electrical, prior to the employee engaging in the servicing / maintenance activity.  As a result, the remaining applicable energy control elements, involving machine isolation [1910.147(d)(3)], lockout/tagout device application [1910.147(d)(4)], dissipation of residual energy [1910(d)(5)(i)], and verification of isolation [1910.147(d)(6)] were not implemented to protect employees from machine hazards.

Issued

Jun 13, 2023

Abate by

Jul 13, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(e)(1): The work area shall be inspected to ensure that nonessential items have been removed and to ensure that machine or equipment components are operationally intact.    At the establishment located at 625 Hager Road, Denmark, Wisconsin; the employer did not ensure that employees performing sanitation had ensured that machine or equipment components were operationally intact before lockout devices were removed, exposing employees to the release of hazardous energies in the following instances:  a) On or about January 3, 2023, on the QX8 Line following sanitation, lockout devices on the energy isolating devices for the Pre-Dry towards Infeed Section were removed while the guards were off.  The Sanitor did not restore the machine to an operational condition prior to removing their locks, so that the internal components of the equipment could be inspected.  b) On or about May 5, 2023, in the Blender 5 Room following sanitation, the lockout device on the energy isolating device for the equipment, such as but not limited to Auger 4, was removed while the guard was off.  The Sanitor did not restore the machine to an operational condition prior to removing their lock, so that the internal components of the equipment could be inspected.

Issued

Jun 13, 2023

Abate by

Jul 20, 2023

Penalty

Initial $14,063 · Current $7,032 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.212(a)(1): One or more methods of machine guarding shall be 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. Examples of guarding methods are-barrier guards, two-hand tripping devices, electronic safety devices, etc.  At the establishment located at 625 Hager Road, Denmark, Wisconsin; the employer did not provide one or more methods of machine guarding to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area in the following instances:  a) On or about December 21, 2022, at the QX8 Outfeed Airlock Section, a chain for the baskets was not adequately guarded during operation to prevent entry into the machine, exposing employees to caught-in and entanglement hazards. An employee reached past the guarding, resulting in a partial finger amputation.   b) On or about May 5, 2023, at the Blender 5 Room, the discharge chute for Mixer A was not adequately guarded to prevent employees access during operation, exposing employees to rotating parts.  c) At the Blender 5 Room, Mixer A was not adequately guarded to prevent employees access during operation, exposing employees to rotating parts.  The distance between the bars on the guard were not spaced in a manner that would prevent access to the moving paddles, and there were openings on the left side of the guards that allowed meat to pass through that did not prevent access to the blender paddles.   d) At the Blender 5 Room, Mixer B was not adequately guarded to prevent employees access during operation, exposing employees to rotating parts.  The distance between the bars on the guard were not spaced in a manner that would prevent access to the moving paddles, and there were openings on the right side of the guard that allowed meat to pass through that did not prevent access to the blender paddles.  e)  At the establishment in the Blender 5 Room, the Blender 5 Mixer Conveyor Belt sprocket was not adequately guarded during operation to prevent access, exposing employees to contact with moving parts.

Issued

Jun 13, 2023

Abate by

Jul 20, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.212(a)(2): Guard(s) on machine(s) were not affixed to the machine or secured elsewhere when attachment to the machine was not possible:  a) The QX8 Pre-Dry towards Infeed Section was not adequately guarded to prevent employees access during operation, exposing employees to moving parts.  The hinged guard did not need any tool to open and only was closed with a latch.  b) The QX8 Tower Infeed guards were not adequate to prevent employees access during operation, exposing employees to moving parts. The hinged guard did not need any tool to open and only was closed with a latch.  c) The QX8 Tower Transfer Section guards were not adequate to prevent employees access during operation, exposing employees to moving parts.  The hinged guard did not need any tool to open and only was closed with a latch.  d) The QX6 Tower Transfer was not adequately guarded to prevent employees access during operation, exposing employees to moving parts.  The hinged guard did not need any tool to open and only was closed with a latch.

Issued

Feb 7, 2023

Abate by

Mar 8, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1904.29(b)(1):What do I need to do to complete the OSHA 300 Log? You must enter information about your business at the top of the OSHA 300 Log, enter a one or two line description for each recordable injury or illness, and summarize this information on the OSHA 300-A at the end of the year.  a) On or about August 13, 2022, the employer did not ensure that case number 4 on the employer's OSHA 300 form for 2022 contained a complete description of  the injury or illness.  b) On or about December 21, 2022, the employer did not ensure that case number 5 on the employer's OSHA 300 form for 2022 contained a complete description of  the object/substance that directly injured or made person ill.