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

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Jan 9, 2025

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1)(i):  Except as provided elsewhere in this section 29 CFR 1910.28, the employer did not ensure that each employee on a walking-working surface with an unprotected side or edge that is 4 feet (1.2 m) or more above a lower level is protected from falling by one or more of the systems described in 29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1)(i):  On or about February 28, 2024, in the Back Dump area, employees were exposed to a fall hazard of more than 4 feet without fall protection measures in place.

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)(6)(i): The employer did not ensure that each employee less than 4 feet (1.2 m) above dangerous equipment is protected from falling into or onto the dangerous equipment by a guardrail system or a travel restraint system, unless the equipment is covered or guarded to eliminate the hazard:  On or about February 28, 2024, in the Back Dump area, employees were not protected from a fall into the moving parts of the horizontal baler.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Jan 9, 2025

Penalty

Initial $4,839 · Current $3,085 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(11)(ii): The employer did not ensure that each flight of stairs having at least 3 treads and at least 4 risers is equipped with stair rail systems and handrails as described in 29 CFR 1910.28 Table D-2-Stairway Handrail Requirements:  On or about February 28, 2024, the flight of stairs leading to the basement was not equipped with complete stair rail systems on each open side, exposing Maintenance, Foreman, and General Labor employees to a fall hazard.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Jan 9, 2025

Penalty

Initial $9,680 · Current $7,260 Reduced

Hazardous substances 91309135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(c)(1): A written respiratory protection program that included the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix) with worksite specific procedures was not established and implemented for required respirator use:  On March 6, 2024, the employer failed to establish a written respiratory protection program where respirators were necessary to protect the health of Pre-Mix and General Labor employees.  Employees were exposed to air contaminants at levels that exceeded Permissible Exposure Limits instances such as, but not limited to:  a) On March 6, 2024, a Pre-Mix Lead was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 171.1 milligrams of Total Dust per cubic meter of air, approximately 11.4 times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air. The exposure was derived from samples collected over a 446-minute sampling period, with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of 34 minutes.  b) On March 6, 2024, a General Labor employee operating on the Bag Line and Back Dump was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 24.3 milligrams of Total Dust per cubic meter of air, approximately 1.6 times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air. The exposure was derived from samples collected over a 443-minute sampling period, with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of 37 minutes.  c) On March 6, 2024, a Pre-Mix Lead was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 15.5 milligrams of Respirable Dust per cubic meter of air, approximately 3.1 times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 5 milligrams per cubic meter of air. The exposure was derived from samples collected over a 446-minute sampling period, with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of 34 minutes.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Jan 9, 2025

Penalty

Initial $9,680 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances 91309135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(c)(2)(ii):The employer did not establish and implement those elements of a written program necessary to ensure that any employee using a respirator voluntarily was medically able to use that respirator, and that the respirator was cleaned, stored, and maintained so that its use does not present a health hazard to the user:  On or about February 28, 2024, the employer failed to establish and implement elements of a written respiratory protection plan such as medical evaluation and respirator cleaning, storage, and maintenance to ensure that Pre-Mix Employees voluntarily using an elastomeric half face respirator were medically able to wear a respirator and fully protected while doing so.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Oct 15, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $9,680

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1000(a)(2): Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of Particulates Not Otherwise Regulated - Total Dust, listed in Table Z-1, in excess of the 8-hour Time Weighted Average concentration of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air:  Employee exposures to Total Dust exceeded the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air in instances such as, but not limited to:  a) On March 6, 2024, a Pre-Mix Lead was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 171.1 milligrams of Total Dust per cubic meter of air, approximately 11.4 times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air. The exposure was derived from samples collected over a 446-minute sampling period, with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of 34 minutes.  b) On March 6, 2024, a General Labor employee operating on the Bag Line and Back Dump was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 24.3 milligrams of Total Dust per cubic meter of air, approximately 1.6 times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air. The exposure was derived from samples collected over a 443-minute sampling period, with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of 37 minutes.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Oct 15, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1000(e): Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not determined and implemented to achieve compliance with the limits prescribed in 29 CFR 1910.1000(a) through (d):   Employee exposures to Total Dust exceeded the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air in instances such as, but not limited to:  a) On March 6, 2024, a Pre-Mix Lead was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 171.1 milligrams of Total Dust per cubic meter of air, approximately 11.4 times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air. The exposure was derived from samples collected over a 446-minute sampling period, with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of 34 minutes.  b) On March 6, 2024, a General Labor employee operating on the Bag Line and Back Dump was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 24.3 milligrams of Total Dust per cubic meter of air, approximately 1.6 times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air. The exposure was derived from samples collected over a 443-minute sampling period, with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of 37 minutes.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Oct 15, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1000(a)(2): Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of Particulates Not Otherwise Regulated - Respirable Dust, listed in Table Z-1, in excess of the 8-hour Time Weighted Average concentration of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air:  Employee exposures to Respirable Dust exceeded the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 5 milligrams per cubic meter of air in instances such as, but not limited to:  a) On March 6, 2024, a Pre-Mix Lead was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 15.5 milligrams of Respirable Dust per cubic meter of air, approximately 3.1 times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 5 milligrams per cubic meter of air. The exposure was derived from samples collected over a 446-minute sampling period, with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of 34 minutes.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Oct 15, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1000(e): Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not determined and implemented to achieve compliance with the limits prescribed in 29 CFR 1910.1000(a) through (d):   Employee exposures to Respirable Dust exceeded the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air in instances such as, but not limited to:  a) On March 6, 2024, a Pre-Mix Lead was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 15.5 milligrams of Respirable Dust per cubic meter of air, approximately 3.1 times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 5 milligrams per cubic meter of air. The exposure was derived from samples collected over a 446-minute sampling period, with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of 34 minutes.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Sep 13, 2024

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(c)(7)(iii):The employer did not document the basis for determining that all hazards in a permit space had been eliminated, through a written certification that contained the date, the location of the space, and the signature of the person making the determination:  On or about February 28, 2024, the employer failed to provide Production Employees with a method of determining and certifying permit-space hazards had been eliminated before employees cleaning Mixer 3 entered the confined space.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Sep 27, 2024

Penalty

Initial $4,839 · Current $3,085 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.151(c):Where employees were exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body were not provided within the work area for immediate emergency use:  On or about February 28, 2024, maintenance employees performing the refilling of electric forklift batteries, exposed to the corrosive battery acid, were not provided suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body for immediate emergency use.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Sep 13, 2024

Penalty

Initial $11,292 · Current $7,199 Reduced

Hazardous substances E200

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(h)(3)(ii): Employee training did not include the physical and health hazards of the chemicals in the work area:  On or about February 28, 2024, employees across the facility were not trained on the physical, health, and combustible dust hazards of the chemicals in the work area, including but not limited to Hubercarb Q6 and combustible dust.

Issued

Aug 22, 2024

Abate by

Sep 6, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(k)(6): The employer did not provide the basic advisory information on respirators, as presented in Appendix D of 29 CFR 1910.134, in written or oral format to employees who wear respirators when such use was not required by the employer:   On or about February 28, 2024, the employer failed to provide production employees with the information contained in Appendix D to 29 CFR 1910.134 before allowing voluntary use of respirators such as half-mask elastomeric respirators and N95 filtering facepiece respirators.