OSHA Inspection: NORTHBROOK LLC

Issued

2024-11-22 00:00:00

Abate by

2025-06-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9218.00 · Current $3750.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.28(b)(1)(i):  Except as provided elsewhere in this section, the employer must 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 guardrail systems; safety net systems; or personal fall protection systems:  On or about August 26, 2024, and thereafter, at a facility located at 1101 Mill Street in Niagara, WI; the employer did not ensure employees were protected from falls of greater than 4 feet into the pit around the #5 Generator. Employees walking past and working near the unprotected edge of the pit were exposed to falls of approximately 6.5 feet.

Issued

2024-11-22 00:00:00

Abate by

2025-06-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $16131.00 · Current $3750.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.28(b)(2)(ii):  In a hoist area when any portion of a guardrail system, gate, or chains is removed, and an employee must lean through or over the edge of the access opening to facilitate hoisting, the employee is protected from falling by a personal fall arrest system:  At a facility located at 1101 Mill Street in Niagara, WI:  a) On or about August 27, 2024; employees installing dewatering gates with the overhead hoist worked at and leaned over the edge of the hoist area where the guardrail system had been removed. Employees were not protected from falls into the intake reservoir (pond) while they facilitated hoisting of the dewatering gates. The draining pond had a water depth of approximately 10 feet.  b) On or about August 28, 2024; employees removing the dewatering gates with the overhead hoist worked at and leaned over the edge of the hoist area where the guardrail system had been removed. Employees were not protected from falls into the empty pond while they facilitated hoisting of the dewatering gates. The empty pond created an approximate 10-foot fall to the lower level.

Issued

2024-11-22 00:00:00

Abate by

2025-06-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $11524.00 · Current $3750.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.212(a)(1):  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. Examples of guarding methods are-barrier guards, two-hand tripping devices, electronic safety devices, etc.:  On or about October 17, 2024, at a facility located at 1101 Mill Street in Niagara, WI; the employer did not provide machine guarding to protect Plant Operator employees from the rotating parts of the Generators.   a)  At the #5 Generator, employees were exposed to the rotating Rotor from the aisleway north of the Rotor. A standard guardrail present along the aisleway did not prevent employees from contacting the rotating part. The outer edge of the guardrail was at most 34 inches from the struck-by and entanglement hazards present by the Rotor. The guardrail contained a swing-gate which was not locked, secured, or interlocked and allowed access to the Rotor from its north and south sides.  b)  At #4 Generator, employees were exposed to the rotating Rotor on the south side of the Rotor. The standard guardrail around the generator contained a swing gate which was not locked, secured or interlocked and allowed access to the south side of the Rotor. Employees accessing this area were not protected from the struck-by and entanglement hazards presented by the Rotor.

Issued

2024-11-22 00:00:00

Abate by

2025-06-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $3750.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.269(d)(2)(iii):  Procedures shall be developed, documented, and used for the control of potentially hazardous energy covered by paragraph (d) of this section:  On or about August 26, 2024; at a facility located at 1101 Mill Street in Niagara, WI; employees conducted an annual shutdown of the generators and turbines and isolated the river from the hydroelectric power generation system; however, the employer had not developed an energy control procedure for locking out hydroelectric power generation equipment and for isolation of the river from the system.

Issued

2024-11-22 00:00:00

Abate by

2025-06-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.269(d)(2)(vi):  The employer shall 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 energy controls are acquired by employees. The training shall include the requirements of this subdivisions [A] through [C]:  On or about August 26, 2024; at a facility located at 1101 Mill Street in Niagara, WI; the employer had not provided training to ensure that the purpose and function of the energy control program were understood by employees. The employer did not provide training to ensure that employees quired the knowledge and skills required for the safe application, usage, and removal of energy controls when employees conducted an annual shutdown of the generators and turbines, and isolated the river from the hydroelectric power generation system.