OSHA Inspection: GUGGISBERG CHEESE, INC.

Issued

Apr 23, 2024

Abate by

May 3, 2024

Penalty

Initial $22,583 · Current $16,000 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 as required by 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(ii)[B]-[D]:   a. Guggisberg Cheese, Inc. located at 1545 County Road 70, Sugar Creek, OH 44681: On or about December 21, 2023 and at times prior, operators and maintenance employees were exposed to machine hazards associated with nip points on moving chain conveyor equipment while performing maintenance and servicing activities such as, but not limited to, cleaning, un-jamming and periodic corrective actions in the Acidification line with non-compliant energy control procedures. The procedures did not contain adequate information to include:  (1)	Specific procedural steps for shutting down, isolating/dissipating, and verification of isolation of the equipment's hazardous energy sources such as but not limited to, electric and pneumatic pressure [(c)(4)(ii)(B)].  (2)	Specific procedural steps for the placement, removal and transfer of lockout devices or tagout devices and the responsibility for them [(c)(4)(ii)(C)].  (3)	Specific requirements for testing a machine or equipment to determine and verify the effectiveness of lockout devices, tagout devices, and other energy control measures [(c)(4)(ii)(D)].  Guggisberg Cheese, Inc was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health standard 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(ii)(B), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1469645, citation number 1, item number 2a and was affirmed as a final order on June 10, 2020, with respect to a workplace located at 5060 SR 557, Millersburg, OH 44654.

Issued

Apr 23, 2024

Abate by

May 3, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(d):Application of control. The established procedures for the application of energy control (the lockout or tagout procedures) shall cover the following elements and actions and shall be done in the following sequence as required by 29 CFR 1910.147(d)(1) through (d)(6):  a. Guggisberg Cheese, Inc. 1545 County Road 70, Sugar Creek, OH 44681: On or about December 21, 2023 and at times prior, operators and maintenance employees were exposed to machine hazards associated with nip points on moving chain conveyor equipment while performing maintenance and servicing activities such as, but not limited to, cleaning, unjamming and periodic corrective action activities on the Acidification line. The employer did not ensure that energy control application steps were implemented as the machine was not shutdown [per the 1910.147(d)(2) requirements]. As a result, the equipment's electric and pneumatic energy sources were not isolated [(d)(3)], the stored energy was not controlled by the application of a LOTO device [(d)(4)], the release of stored pressure [(d)(5)(i)], and verification of the pneumatic and electric source isolation [(d)(6)] were not implemented to protect employees from machine servicing hazards.  Guggisberg Cheese, Inc was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health standard 29 CFR 1910.147(d), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1469645, citation number 1, item number 2b and was affirmed as a final order on June 10, 2020, with respect to a workplace located at 5060 SR 557, Millersburg, OH 44654.

Issued

Apr 23, 2024

Abate by

May 3, 2024

Penalty

Initial $22,583 · Current $16,000 Reduced

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.  a. Guggisberg Cheese, Inc. 1545 County Road 70, Sugar Creek, OH 44681: On or about December 21, 2023 and at times prior, periodic inspections of energy control procedures were not conducted at least annually to ensure the procedures were effective to protect operator employees from machine hazards while performing service and maintenance on equipment such as, but not limited to, cleaning and unjamming, on the Acidification line.   Guggisberg Cheese, Inc was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health standard 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(6)(i), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1469645, citation number 1, item number 3 and was affirmed as a final order on June 10, 2020, with respect to a workplace located at 5060 SR 557, Millersburg, OH 44654.

Issued

Apr 23, 2024

Abate by

May 3, 2024

Penalty

Initial $16,134 · Current $16,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A): Each authorized employee shall 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 and control.  a. Guggisberg Cheese, Inc. 1545 County Road 70, Sugar Creek, OH 44681: On or about December 21, 2023 and at times prior, operator employees performed servicing and maintenance activities in areas of the facility such as, but not limited to, the Acidification line, without isolating and controlling all hazardous energy sources. The covered activities included cleaning and unjamming. The employees were not trained at the authorized level.   Guggisberg Cheese, Inc was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health standard 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(i)(A), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1469645, citation number 1, item number 4 and was affirmed as a final order on June 10, 2020, with respect to a workplace located at 5060 SR 557, Millersburg, OH 44654.