OSHA Inspection: FARMERS CO-OPERATIVE

Issued

Dec 18, 2024

Abate by

Jan 7, 2025

Penalty

Initial $11,292 · Current $7,904 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 July 24, 2024, it was documented that employees performing facility maintenance activities on the fertilizer building of Famers Co-Operative located at 325 West 1st Street, Pilger, Nebraska were exposed to fall hazards in that employees working on a roof approximately 41 feet above the next lower level were not protected from falling to the next lower level.

Issued

Dec 18, 2024

Abate by

Jan 22, 2025

Penalty

Initial $6,453 · Current $4,517 Reduced

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 or about July 8, 2024, it was documented that employees performing cleaning activities on the southwest corn bin of Famers Co-Operative located at 325 West 1st Street, Pilger, Nebraska were exposed to atmospheric hazards and/or oxygen deficient environments in that the employer did not develop and implement a written respiratory protection program for employees required to wear tight-fitting respirators.  Instances included, but were not limited to, the use of full-face air purifying respirators.

Issued

Dec 18, 2024

Abate by

Jan 7, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1): The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee was fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace:  On or about July 8, 2024, it was documented that employees performing cleaning activities son the southwest corn bin of Famers Co-Operative located at 325 West 1st Street, Pilger, Nebraska were exposed to respirable dust, volatile organic compounds, and/or oxygen deficient environments in that the employer did not ensure employees were medically evaluated prior to respirator use.  Instances included, but were not limited to, the use of full-face air purifying respirators.

Issued

Dec 18, 2024

Abate by

Jan 15, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2): Employee(s) using tight-fitting facepiece respirators were not fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator:  On or about July 8, 2024, it was documented that employees performing cleaning activities son the southwest corn bin of Famers Co-Operative located at 325 West 1st Street, Pilger, Nebraska were exposed to respirable dust, volatile organic compounds, and/or oxygen deficient environments in that the employer did not ensure employees were fit tested prior to initial respirator wear.  Instances included, but were not limited to, the use full-face air purifying respirators.

Issued

Dec 18, 2024

Abate by

Jan 7, 2025

Penalty

Initial $6,453 · Current $4,517 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(1): The employer did not evaluate the workplace to determine if any spaces were permit-required confined spaces:  On or about June 25, 2024, it was observed that employees engaged in grain handing at Farmers Co-Operative located at 325 West 1st Street, Pilger, Nebraska were exposed to caught-in and engulfment hazards in that the employer did not evaluate the workplace to classify permit-required confined spaces.  Instances included, but were not limited to:   i. Corn dump pits and ii. Soybean dump pits.

Issued

Dec 18, 2024

Abate by

Jan 7, 2025

Penalty

Initial $4,839 · Current $3,387 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(g)(1)(i): The employer did not issue a permit for entering bins, silos or tanks in the grain handling facility before the employees entered the bins, silos, or tanks:   On or about July 26, 2024, it was documented that employees performing grain handling activities in the west soybean bin of Farmers Co-Operative located at 325 West 1st Street, Pilger, Nebraska were exposed to atmospheric hazards in that the employer did not issue a permit prior to employee entrance into the bin.

Issued

Dec 18, 2024

Abate by

Jan 7, 2025

Penalty

Initial $4,839 · Current $3,387 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.272(g)(1)(iii): The atmosphere within a bin, silo, or tank in the grain handling facility was not tested for oxygen content prior to employee entry:  On or about July 26, 2024, it was documented that employees performing grain handling activities in the west soybean bin of Farmers Co-Operative located at 325 West 1st Street, Pilger, Nebraska were exposed to atmospheric hazards in that the employer did measure oxygen content within the bin prior to employee entrance.

Issued

Dec 18, 2024

Abate by

Jan 22, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(m)(1)(i): Preventative maintenance procedures consisting of regularly scheduled inspections of at least the mechanical and safety control equipment associated with dryers, grain stream processing equipment, dust collect equipment, and bucket elevators were not implemented:   On or about July 25, 2024, it was documented that employees performing grain handling operations at the corn and soybean bins of Farmers Co-Operative located at 325 West 1st Street, Pilger, Nebraska were exposed to fire and explosion hazards in that the employer did not develop and implement preventative maintenance procedures that included inspection schedule for the three corn and two soybean bucket elevators.

Issued

Dec 18, 2024

Abate by

Jan 22, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.272(m)(3): A certification record maintained of each inspection by the employer in the grain facility was not in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.272(1):  On or about July 25, 2024, it was documented that employees performing grain handling activities at the corn and soybean bins of Farmers Co-Operative located at 325 West 1st Street, Pilger, Nebraska were exposed to fire and explosion hazards in that the employer did not ensure a certification record was made for all preventative maintenance performed on the three corn and two soybean bucket elevators.