OSHA Inspection: STRAUSS FEEDS, L.L.C.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Oct 15, 2025

Penalty

Initial $8,067 · Current $8,067

Hazardous substances E101M102

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to combustible dried milk powder dust deflagration hazards when moving accumulated (layered) fugitive dust emissions from surfaces (i.e., structural members, equipment, floors, walls, etc.) in a manner which allowed for the formation of dense dust clouds via the use of high pressure compressed air and which did not control for potential ignition sources:  (a) On or about March 1, 2024, in areas such as the Basement Area and Main Production Area, employees were allowed to utilize compressed air to perform blowdown methods of cleaning to remove accumulated combustible dried milk powder dust from surfaces, including but not limited to, horizontal surfaces including the floor, equipment, ducts, pipes, conduit, building structural members, and other associated equipment in a manner which allowed for the generation of dried milk powder dust clouds and which did not fully control for potential ignition sources from machinery and other electrical equipment. These conditions exposed employees in the building to the hazard of combustible dust deflagration (flash fire) capable of causing injury in the form of thermal burns.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Oct 15, 2025

Penalty

Initial $8,067 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances M102

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1): The employer did not ensure that all places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces are kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition.  On or about February 28, 2024, the employer did not ensure that the Basement Area was kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition in that there was a significant accumulation of combustible dust present, presenting explosion, deflagration, and fire hazards to the building occupants.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Oct 15, 2025

Penalty

Initial $8,067 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(c)(2)(vi)(a): The employer did not provide powered industrial trucks designated as EX for use in an atmosphere in which combustible dust is or may be in suspension continuously, intermittently, or periodically under normal operating conditions, in quantities sufficient to produce explosive or ignitable mixtures, or where mechanical failure or abnormal operation of machinery or equipment might cause such mixtures to be produced.  a) On or about February 28, 2024, the employer did not ensure that powered industrial truck(s) used in the Back Dump Area were designated as EX for use in an atmosphere in which combustible dust, such as but not limited to dried milk powder, was in suspension continuously, intermittently, and/or periodically under normal operating conditions.  b) On or about March 1, 2024, the employer did not ensure that powered industrial truck(s) used in the Main Production Area were designated as EX for use in an atmosphere in which combustible dust, such as but not limited to dried milk powder, was in suspension in quantities sufficient to produce explosive or ignitable mixtures during blowdown events.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Jan 9, 2025

Penalty

Initial $9,680 · Current $6,171 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.25(b)(8): The employer did not ensure that spiral, ship, or alternating tread-type stairs are used only when the employer can demonstrate that it is not feasible to provide standard stairs.  On or about February 28, 2024, employees utilized a ship stair system to access the Back Dump Station where the installation and use of standard stairs was feasible.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Jan 9, 2025

Penalty

Initial $8,067 · Current $5,142 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(3)(iv):  The employer did not provide that each employee be 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 February 28, 2024, the employer did not provide that each employee accessing the back Silo Catwalk were protected from falling into a ladderway platform hole at the entrance to the hole, where a self-closing gate or an offset must be used.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Jan 9, 2025

Penalty

Initial $8,067 · Current $5,142 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(4)(i):Procedures shall be developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees are engaged in the activities covered by this section.   On or about February 28, 2024, the employer did not ensure that procedure(s) for controlling hazardous energy on Mixers M1 and M2 in the basement were developed prior to employees reaching into the mixers to perform cleaning operations, exposing employees to amputation hazards.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Jan 9, 2025

Penalty

Initial $8,067 · Current $5,142 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(7)(i):The employer did not provide training to ensure that the purpose and function of the energy control program are understood by employees and that the knowledge and skills required for the safe application, usage, and removal of the energy controls are acquired by employees:  On or about February 28, 2024, the employer did not ensure that employees tasked with cleaning Mixers M1 and M2 in the Basement were provided training to ensure that the purpose and function of the energy control program were understood and that the knowledge and skills required for the safe application, usage, and removal of energy controls was acquired by employees.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Jan 9, 2025

Penalty

Initial $8,067 · Current $5,142 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(f)(3)(ii)(D):Each authorized employee did not affix a personal lockout or tagout device to the group lockout device before working on the machine or equipment:  On or about February 28, 2024, the employer did not ensure that each employee engaged in Mixer cleaning operations in the Basement affixed a personal lockout or tagout device to a group lockout device before reaching into Mixers M1 and/or M2.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Jan 9, 2025

Penalty

Initial $6,453 · Current $4,114 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.176(b): Material stored in tiers was not stacked, blocked, interlocked or limited in height so that it was stable and secure against sliding and collapse:  On or about February 28, 2024, the employer did not ensure that materials stored in tiers within the Warehouse and Shipping/Receiving Area was stacked, blocked, interlocked or limited in height so that they were stable and secure against sliding and/or collapse.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Jan 9, 2025

Penalty

Initial $1,613 · Current $1,028 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.32(b)(6): The annual summary was not posted no later than February 1 of the year following the year covered by the records, and kept in place until April 30:  On or about February 28, 2024, the 2023 injury and illness annual summary was not posted at the worksite.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Penalty

Initial $1,613 · Current $1,028 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1904.40(a):The employer did not provide an authorized government representative the records within the four business hours.  On February 28, 2024, the employer failed to provide copies of the injury and illness records to an authorized representative within four business hours. An employer may use the business hours of the establishment at which the records are located when calculating the deadline

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Jan 9, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.178(a)(4): Modifications and additions which affect capacity and safe operation of powered industrial truck were performed by the employer without the manufacturer's prior written approval:  On or about February 28, 2024, a Caterpillar forklift in the Premix Area was fitted with extended fork tines without the manufacturer's prior written approval.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Jan 9, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(a)(6):The employer did not ensure that all nameplates or markings were maintained in a legible condition:  a) On or about February 28, 2024, the employer did not ensure nameplates and load capacity charts were maintained in a legible condition on the Caterpillar forklift in the Premix Area.  b) On or about February 28, 2024, the employer did not ensure nameplates and load capacity charts were maintained in a legible condition on the Komatsu forklift in the