OSHA Inspection: GRAND VALLEY WATER USERS ASSOCIATION

Issued

Oct 9, 2025

Abate by

Nov 17, 2025

Penalty

Initial $4,965 · Current $4,965

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:  a) On or about April 25, 2025, and at times prior, the employer did not evaluate spaces, including, but not limited to, water vaults, roller dams, double barrel and triple barrel concrete culverts to determine if these spaces were permit-required confined spaces. An employee entered a 120 foot long, five-foot diameter culvert to clear debris using a gas-powered mini skid steer. This condition exposed employees to an acute exposure to atmospheric hazards involving carbon monoxide.

Issued

Oct 9, 2025

Abate by

Nov 17, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(c)(2): The employer did not inform exposed employees, by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means, of the existence and location of and the danger posed by the permit spaces.  a) On or before April 25, 2025, and at times prior, the employer did not inform exposed employees by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means, of the existence and location of and the danger posed by the permit spaces including but not limited to water vaults, culverts, and roller dam machinery area.

Issued

Oct 9, 2025

Abate by

Nov 17, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(c)(4): When the employer decided that its employees would enter permit spaces, the employer did not develop and implement a written permit space entry program that complied with 29 CFR 1910.146.  a)  On or about April 25, 2025, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure employees were protected from hazards associated with permit-required confined spaces in that, the employer had not developed and implemented a written space entry program covering employee entry into double barrel culverts, water vaults, and roller dam machinery area. This condition exposed employees to atmospheric hazards associated with entry into permit-required confined spaces.

Issued

Oct 9, 2025

Abate by

Nov 17, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(g)(1): The employer did not provide training so that all employees whose work was regulated by 29 CFR 1910.146 (permit required confined spaces) acquired the understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary for the safe performance of the duties assigned under 29 CFR 1910.146.  a) On or about April 25, 2025, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure all employees required to enter permit required confined spaces were provided training covering entry into permit required confined spaces as required by 29 CFR 1910.146. This condition exposed employees to hazards associated with entry into permit required confined spaces.

Issued

Oct 9, 2025

Abate by

Nov 17, 2025

Penalty

Initial $4,965 · Current $4,965

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(1):The employer did not establish a program consisting of an energy control procedure, employee training and periodic inspections to ensure that before any employee performed any servicing or maintenance on a machine or equipment where the unexpected energizing, startup or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the machine or equipment shall be isolated from the energy source and rendered inoperative:  a) On or about April 28, 2025, and at times prior, the employer did not establish a program consisting of an energy control procedure, employee training and periodic inspections to ensure that before any employee performed any servicing or maintenance on a machine or equipment where the unexpected energizing, startup or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury the machine or equipment shall be isolated from the energy source and rendered inoperative, including but not limited to the following:   (1)	Weed rake;  (2)	Chains at the roller dam;  (3)	Chevrolet truck, and;  (4)	Repairing water lines and meters in vaults.

Issued

Oct 9, 2025

Abate by

Nov 17, 2025

Penalty

Initial $3,547 · Current $3,547

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.151(b):There was neither an infirmary, clinic, or hospital used for the treatment of all injured employees in near proximity to the workplace nor a person or persons adequately trained to render first aid.  a) On or about April 28, 2025, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that a person or persons were adequately trained to render first aid, when there was neither an infirmary, clinic or hospital used for the treatment of injured employees in near proximity to the workplace.

Issued

Oct 9, 2025

Abate by

Nov 17, 2025

Penalty

Initial $2,837 · Current $2,837

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.212(a)(1): One or more methods of machine guarding was not 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:  a) On or about April 28, 2025 and at times prior, the employer did not ensure one or more methods of machine guarding were provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards created by ingoing nip points, and rotating parts from the moving chains and part on the conveyor, and on the weed rake, and chains that pull up the weed rakes.

Issued

Oct 9, 2025

Abate by

Nov 17, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.212(a)(2):Guard(s) on machine(s) were not affixed to the machine or secured elsewhere when attachment to the machine was not possible.  a) On or about April 28, 2025 and at time prior, the employer did not ensure the metal plate guard covering the moving chains before the conveyor area at the weed screen was affixed to the machine or secured elsewhere when attachment to the machine was not possible.

Issued

Oct 9, 2025

Abate by

Nov 17, 2025

Penalty

Initial $4,965 · Current $4,965

Hazardous substances C730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1000(a)(2):Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of Carbon Monoxide listed in Table Z-1 in excess of the 8 hour Time Weighted Average concentration of 50 ppm.  On or about April 25, 2025 employees performing work inside a culvert were exposed to carbon monoxide produced from them utilizing a gas-powered Honda WRL58G Wheeled skid steer.  An employee (Calculation F57381) was exposed to carbon monoxide (CO) during a 60 minute occupational exposure at a mean calculated 458.8 ppm CO level (SAE = 0.130). The %COHb in the employee's blood reached a calculated peak level of 20.1%. Atmospheric pressure, height, weight, activity levels, tobacco smoking behavior, and other factors were taken into account. The 8-hour TWA exposure was 57.4 ppm CO (SAE = 0.118), which is 1.15 times the OSHA PEL of 50 ppm CO.

Issued

Oct 9, 2025

Abate by

Nov 17, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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).  a) On or about April 25, 2025,  feasible administrative or engineering controls were not used while employees performed work inside a culvert with a gas-powered Honda WRL58G Wheeled skid steer.  An employee (Calculation F57381) was exposed to carbon monoxide (CO) during a 60 minute occupational exposure at a mean calculated 458.8 ppm CO level (SAE = 0.130). The %COHb in the employee's blood reached a calculated peak level of 20.1%. Atmospheric pressure, height, weight, activity levels, tobacco smoking behavior, and other factors were taken into account. The 8-hour TWA exposure was 57.4 ppm CO (SAE = 0.118), which is 1.15 times the OSHA PEL of 50 ppm CO.

Issued

Oct 9, 2025

Abate by

Nov 17, 2025

Penalty

Initial $2,128 · Current $2,128

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(e)(1): The employer had not developed or implemented a written hazard communication program that included the requirements outlined in 29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1)(i) and (e)(1)(ii):  a) On or about May 5, 2025, and at times prior, the employer had not implemented a written hazard communication program that included the requirements outlined in 29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1)(i) and (e)(1)(ii) when employees used and were exposed to chemicals including but not limited to; Multiplex Red Grease, welding fumes and hexavalent chromium from welding on stainless steel, and exposure to carbon monoxide from the operation of gas powered equipment, which have health hazards including but not limited to; serious eye irritation, skin irritation, allergic skin reaction, suspected carcinogen, specific target organ toxicity and respiratory sensitization.

Issued

Oct 9, 2025

Abate by

Nov 17, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(g)(1): Employers did not have a safety data sheet in the workplace for each hazardous chemical which they use:  a) On or about May 5, 2025 and at times prior, the employer did not have a safety data sheet in the workplace for each hazardous chemical which they used in that the employer did not have safety data sheets for chemicals including but not limited to Multiplex Red grease with hazards including but not limited to skin irritation and serious eye irritation.

Issued

Oct 9, 2025

Abate by

Nov 17, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(h)(2)(ii):The employer did not provide information to the employees on operations in their work area where hazardous chemicals were present.  a)On or about May 5, 2025, and at times prior, the employer did not provide information to the employees on operations in their work area where hazardous chemicals including but not limited to Multiplex Red Grease, metal fumes including hexavalent chromium from welding on stainless steel,  and carbon monoxide when operating gas powered equipment which have health hazards including but not limited to, serious eye irritation, skin irritation, allergic skin reaction, suspected carcinogen, specific target organ toxicity and respiratory sensitization..