OSHA Inspection: AGROPUR, INC.

Issued

Aug 2, 2024

Abate by

Sep 30, 2024

Penalty

Initial $11,524 · Current $5,667 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(3)(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.  At an establishment located at N2915 County Road AB in Luxemburg, Wisconsin:  a) On or about April 22, 2024, in the Whey Plant, in the Milk Minerals Dryer Room, on the end of the Milk Minerals Dryer, employees working from the platform are exposed to fall hazards of greater than six feet when the access ladder opening did not have a self-closing gate or offset to prevent falling through the opening of the ladderway.   b) On or about April 22, 2024, in the Whey Plant, on the front of the Milk Minerals Dryer, employees working from the platform are exposed to fall hazards of greater than fourteen feet when the access ladder opening did not have a self-closing gate or offset to prevent falling through the opening of the ladderway.  c) On or about April 26, 2024, in the Permeate Plant, on the second floor of the Perm Dryer, employees working from the large platform are exposed to fall hazards of greater than fourteen feet when the access ladder opening did not have a self-closing gate or offset to prevent falling through the opening of the ladderway.  d) On or about April 26, 2024, in the Permeate Plant, Level 1 Perm Room-Ground Floor, the platform under the perm dryer, employees working from the large platform are exposed to fall hazards of greater than six feet when the access ladder opening did not have a self-closing gate or offset to prevent falling through the opening of the ladderway.  e) On or about April 22, 2024, in the Whey Plant, on the 5th floor whey, employees working from the large platform are exposed to fall hazards of greater than seven feet when the access ladder opening did not have a self-closing gate or offset to prevent falling through the opening of the ladderway.  f) On or about April 22, 2024, in the Whey Plant, in the Seperator/MF2 Room, a ladder on an 800-gallon surge tank, employees working from a platform are exposed to fall hazards of greater than approximately six feet when the access ladder opening did not have a self-closing gate or offset to prevent falling through the opening of the ladderway.  g)  On or about April 22, 2024, in the Whey Plant, in the Seperator/MF2 Room, a ladder on the MF2 tank, employees working from a platform are exposed to fall hazards of greater than approximately nine feet when the access ladder opening did not have a self-closing gate or offset to prevent falling through the opening of the ladderway.

Issued

Aug 2, 2024

Abate by

Dec 31, 2024

Penalty

Initial $11,524 · Current $5,667 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(d): The established procedure for the application of energy control (the lockout or tagout procedures) did not cover the actions listed in and was not done in sequence as required by 29 CFR 1910.147(d)(1)-(6):  At an establishment located at N2915 County Road AB in Luxemburg, Wisconsin:  a) On or about May 3, 2024, in the Cheese Plant, in the 58-59 Cheesemake room, a Cheese Maker employee was exposed to machine hazards associated with moving parts when they engaged in sanitation activities on the RMC 2 molder. The employer did not ensure that employees implemented energy control application steps or equivalent protective measures prior to allowing them to remove guards and disassemble the molder, allowing access to the two screw conveyors inside. The machine was not deenergized prior to the employee engaging in the servicing / maintenance activity.  As a result, the remaining applicable energy control elements, involving machine isolation [1910.147(d)(3)], lockout/tagout device application [1910.147(d)(4)], dissipation of residual energy [1910(d)(5)(i)], and verification of isolation [1910.147(d)(6)] were not implemented to protect employees from machine hazards.

Issued

Aug 2, 2024

Abate by

Dec 31, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(f)(3)(i): When servicing and/or maintenance is performed by a crew, craft, department or other group, they shall utilize a procedure which affords the employees a level of protection equivalent to that provided by the implementation of a personal lockout or tagout device.  a) On or about May 3, 2024, in the Cheese plant, - 1-215 Cheesemake Room, the employer did not ensure that each employee performing service and maintenance activities on the RMC #2 carousel was protected from potential entanglement, amputation, asphyxiation, and fire hazards by an affixing a lockout device prior to performing cleaning activities on the RMC #2 carousel.  b)  On or about May 3, 2024, in the cheese department, in the Cheesemake area, the employer did not ensure that each employee performing service and maintenance activities on the Cooker #2 was protected from potential entanglement, amputation, asphyxiation, and fire hazards by an affixing a lockout device prior to performing cleaning activities on the Cooker #2.  c)  On or about May 3, 2024, in the Cheese plant, - 1-215 Cheesemake Room, a production supervisor did not affix a group lockout device for employees to affix personal lockout or tagout device(s) prior to multiple employees performing cleaning and sanitation activities on RMC #1 carousel was protected from potential entanglement, amputation, asphyxiation, and fire hazards by an affixing a lockout device prior to performing cleaning activities on the RMC #1 carousel.  d) On or about May 3, 2024, in the Cheese plant, - 1-215 Cheesemake Room, the employer did not ensure that each employee performing service and maintenance activities on Cooker # 1 was protected from potential entanglement, amputation, asphyxiation, and fire hazards by an affixing a lockout device prior to performing cleaning activities inside of Cooker # 1.

Issued

Aug 2, 2024

Abate by

Sep 30, 2024

Penalty

Initial $16,131 · Current $8,000 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.  At an establishment located at N2915 County Road AB in Luxemburg, Wisconsin:  a) On or about May 03, 2024, employees operating the Wexxar (Model:WF-30T Serial No:4956) located in the 1-221 Box Packaging Room were exposed to laceration, amputation, and crushing hazards associated with the exit side of the box maker. The machine was not effectively guarded to prevent exposure to these hazards.

Issued

Aug 2, 2024

Abate by

Sep 30, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.212(a)(3)(ii):The point of operation of machines whose operation exposes an employee to injury, shall be guarded. The guarding device shall be in conformity with any appropriate standards therefor, or, in the absence of applicable specific standards, shall be so designed and constructed as to prevent the operator from having any part of his body in the danger zone during the operating cycle.  At an establishment located at N2915 County Road AB in Luxemburg, Wisconsin:  a) On or about May 3, 2024, in the Wet Packaging room, at the operators station of the LH and RH Cryovac 8600E vacuum chamber machines, Packaging employees were exposed to amputation and crushing hazards to the hands and fingers that were created by the LH and RH Cryovac 8600E rotatory vacuum hoods that automatically closed while the operators loaded plastic bags onto the sealing platforms. The machines were not effectively guarded to prevent exposure to these hazards.

Issued

Aug 2, 2024

Abate by

Aug 30, 2024

Penalty

Initial $11,524 · Current $5,206 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(1)(i): Conductors entering cutout boxes, cabinets, or fittings shall be protected from abrasion, and openings through which conductors enter shall be effectively closed.  At an establishment located at N2915 County Road AB in Luxemburg, Wisconsin;  a)  On or about April 26, 2024, in the Perm Dryer 3-301 room, the flexible conduit housing the electrical wires to power the motor on a transfer pump was broken and open at the connection fitting, exposing the conductors to abrasion.  b) On or about April 26, 2024, in the Whey Plant, hot water silo 908, on a Rosemount explosive atmosphere meter, the employer did not ensure a barrier cable glands connector was serviceable to protect employees from electrical shock.

Issued

Aug 2, 2024

Abate by

Aug 30, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(g)(2)(iii): Flexible cords and cables shall be connected to devices and fittings so that strain relief is provided that will prevent pull from being directly transmitted to joints or terminal screws.  At an establishment located at N2915 County Road AB in Luxemburg, Wisconsin:  On or about May 2, 2024, in the Cheese plant, on Cooker #1, the employer did not ensure the Coffing 1/4 Ton Electric Chain Hoist was installed in a manner that prevented strain on the electrical wiring.

Issued

Aug 2, 2024

Abate by

Aug 30, 2024

Penalty

Initial $460 · Current $460

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(5)(ii): Lockout devices and tagout devices were not singularly identified; were not the only devices used for controlling energy; were used for other purposes; and did not meet the requirements of subparagraphs (A) through (D):  At an establishment located at N2915 County Road AB in Luxemburg, Wisconsin:  a) On or about May 03, 2024, in the Cheese Plant, - 1-215 Cheesemake Room, employees were preforming servicing and maintenance on the RMC #1 carousel and the lock was not identifiable.  b) On or about May 03, 2024, in the Cheese Plant, - 1-215 Cheesemake Room, employees were preforming servicing and maintenance on the Cooker #1 carousel and the lock was not identifiable.  c) On or about May 03, 2024, in the Cheese Plant, room 1-215 Cheesemake employees were preforming servicing and maintenance on the RMC #2 carousel and the lock was not identifiable.  d) On or about May 03, 2024, in the Cheese Plant, room 1-215 Cheesemake employees were preforming servicing and maintenance on the RMC #2 molder and the lock was not identifiable.  e) On or about May 03, 2024, in the Cheese Plant, room 1-215 Cheesemake employees were preforming servicing and maintenance on the RMC #1 molder and the lock was not identifiable.  f) On or about May 03, 2024, in the Cheese Plant, - 1-215 Cheesemake Room, employees were preforming servicing and maintenance on the Cooker #2 carousel and the lock was not identifiable.  g) On or about May 3, 2024, in the Cheese plant, in room 1-210 PreDraw, a 480V Panel, labeled (Panel:7HA Circuit: 14, 16, 18 CP-7) had a lock that was used for a purpose other than lockout. The panel was locked open with a blue lock with no way to identify who installed the lock, while a contractor was working with the panel.  h) On or about April 26, 2024, in the Permeate MMC Room on Panel MCC#51 Location# 2E/L Evaporator Trolley Hoist, an orange-colored lock labeled Perm Plant Lockout #24 was used with no way to identify who installed the lock.  i) On or about April 26, 2024, in the Permeate MMC Room, on Panel MCC#42 Location 3E/L SPARE, an orange-colored lock labeled Perm Plant Lock #8 was used for a purpose for servicing and maintenance with no way to identify who installed the lock.  j) On or about April 26, 2024, in the Permeate MMC Room, on Panel MCC#42 Location 3E/R SPARE, a gold-colored lock labeled Whey Plant Lock #13 was used for a purpose for servicing and maintenance with no way to identify who installed the lock.  Agropur, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health Standard, which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1536196, citation number 1, item number 3 and was affirmed as a final order on October 6, 2021, with respect to a workplace located at 2701 Freedom Road, in Appleton, Wisconsin.