OSHA Inspection: PUKALL LUMBER COMPANY, INC.

Issued

Jan 12, 2024

Abate by

Feb 12, 2024

Penalty

Initial $8,595 · Current $6,017 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.28(b)(3)(iv):(iv) 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;  On or about July 27, 2023, at the establishment located at 10894 State Hwy 70 East Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin;  a) the metal fixed ladder used by employees to access the northern mezzanine when cleaning the Boiler Room did not have a self-closing gate or offset exposing employees to fall hazards over six feet.  b) the brown exterior fixed ladder used by employees to access the working surface outside of northern end of the boiler operator building to grease the fittings on the bucket elevator did not have a self-closing gate or offset exposing employees to fall hazards over ten feet.

Issued

Jan 12, 2024

Penalty

Initial $6,875 · Current $4,813 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.212(a)(1): Types of guarding. 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.  On or about July 27, 2023, at the establishment located at 10894 State Hwy 70 East Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin; the employer did not provide machine guarding to protect employees from entanglement and ingoing nip point hazards:  a) Boiler Operators were exposed to laceration and entanglement hazards created by the unguarded rotating screw auger under silo #1 (northern silo).  b) Boiler Operators were exposed to laceration and entanglement hazards created by the unguarded rotating screw auger under silo #2 (southern silo).

Issued

Jan 12, 2024

Penalty

Initial $24,063 · Current $14,414 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.265(c)(4)(iv): Elevated walks. All elevated walks, runways, or platforms, if 4 feet or more from the floor level, shall be provided with a standard railing except on loading or unloading sides of platforms. If height exceeds 6 feet, a standard toe board also shall be provided to prevent material from rolling or falling off.  On or about July 27, 2023, at the establishment located at 10894 State Hwy 70 East Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin; the employer did not ensure that employees were protected from fall hazards greater than four feet when raising and lowering saw blades between the Saw Sharpening Room to the Sawmill below.  Saw Sharpeners are exposed to falls of approximately ten feet when using the chain hoist to lift and lower the saw blades.  Pukall Lumber Company, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.265(c)(4)(iv), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1374648, citation number 1, item number 1b, and was affirmed as a final order on August 8, 2019, with respect to a workplace located at 10894 State Hwy 70 East, Arbor Vitae, WI 54568.

Issued

Jan 12, 2024

Penalty

Initial $24,063 · Current $14,414 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.265(c)(18)(i): Standards. Construction, operation, and maintenance of conveyors shall be in accordance with American National Standard B20.1-1957, which is incorporated by reference as specified in Sec. 1910.6. Section 602 Pulleys, Sprockets, Sheaves, Drums, Blocks:  On or about July 27, 2023, at the establishment located at 10894 State Hwy 70 East Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin; employees working in the Stacker Building were exposed to caught-in hazards and ingoing nip-points from an unguarded chain conveyor.  The nip point was located at an employee work station where boards are transferred from the conveyor to the lift conveyor before the grader.  Pukall Lumber Company, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.265(c)(18)(i), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1374648, citation number 1, item number 9, and was affirmed as a final order on August 8, 2019, with respect to a workplace located at 10894 State Hwy 70 East, Arbor Vitae, WI 54568.

Issued

Jan 12, 2024

Penalty

Initial $343 · Current $343

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.334(a)(3)(i): A flexible cord used with grounding type equipment shall contain an equipment grounding conductor.  On or about July 27, 2023, at the establishment located at 10894 State Hwy 70 East Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin; employees working in the Saw Sharpening Room were exposed to electric shock hazards from an electric pedestal fan that was missing the ground pin.  Pukall Lumber Company, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.334(a)(3)(i), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1374648, citation number 3, item number 7 and was affirmed as a final order on August 8, 2019, with respect to a workplace located at 10894 State Hwy 70 East, Arbor Vitae, WI 54568.

Issued

Jan 12, 2024

Abate by

Feb 12, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.212(a)(2): General requirements for machine guards. Guards shall be affixed to the machine where possible and secured elsewhere if for any reason attachment to the machine is not possible. The guard shall be such that it does not offer an accident hazard in itself.  On or about July 27, 2023, at the establishment located at 10894 State Hwy 70 East Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin;  a) the expanded metal guard placed on the exterior of the debarker deck drive motor was not affixed to the debarker deck which made the guard easy to bypass, exposing employees to machine hazards.  The frame of the expanded metal guard was held in place by two vertical pins on the left side of the guard frame that were welded to the debarker deck.   b) the expanded metal access panel of the guard placed over the end of the chipper hog sawdust conveyor was not secured to the guard which made the guard easy to bypass, exposing employees to machine hazards.  The frame of the expanded metal access panel was held in place by two hinges on the right side of the guard frame and a rubber bungee strap on the lower left corner of the guard frame.