OSHA Inspection: THE HILLSHIRE BRANDS COMPANY

Issued

May 17, 2024

Abate by

Sep 3, 2024

Penalty

Initial $13,828 · Current $9,680 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(a)(2):  A respirator shall be provided to each employee when such equipment is necessary to protect the health of such employee. The employer shall provide the respirators which are applicable and suitable for the purpose intended. The employer shall be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of a respiratory protection program, which shall include the requirements outlined in paragraph (c) of this section. The program shall cover each employee required by this section to use a respirator:  On February 28, 2024, at a facility located at N3620 County Road D in New London, WI; the employer did not provide respiratory protection to each employee when such equipment was necessary to protect the health of such employee. A Mixer Operator employee in the Pre-Blend department (Room 32) was exposed to oat fiber dust in concentrations exceeding the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Particulate Not Otherwise Regulated (PNOR) at the total dust fraction.

Issued

May 17, 2024

Abate by

Jul 31, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1000(a)(2):  An employee's exposure to any substance in Table Z-1, the exposure limit of which is not preceded by a "C", shall not exceed the 8-hour Time Weighted Average given for that substance any 8-hour work shift of a 40-hour work week:  On February 28, 2024, at a facility located at N3620 County Road D in New London, WI; a Mixer Operator employee in Pre-Blend (Room 32) was exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 60 mg/m^3 for Particulate Not Otherwise Regulated (PNOR) total dust fraction, approximately four times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 15 mg/m^3. The exposure level was derived from samples collected over a 475-minute sampling period with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of 5 minutes.

Issued

May 17, 2024

Abate by

Jul 31, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1000(e):  To achieve compliance with paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section, administrative or engineering controls must first be determined and implemented whenever feasible. When such controls are not feasible to achieve full compliance, protective equipment or any other protective measures shall be used to keep the exposure of employees to air contaminants within the limits prescribed in this section. Any equipment and/or technical measures used for this purpose must be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person. Whenever respirators are used, their use shall comply with 1910.134:  On or about February 28, 2024, at a facility located at N3620 County Road D in New London, WI; the employer did not implement administrative or engineering controls to achieve compliance with paragraph (a) of this section when a Mixer Operator employee in Pre-Blend (Room 32) was exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 60 mg/m^3 for Particulate Not Otherwise Regulated (PNOR) total dust fraction, approximately four times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 15 mg/m^3.