OSHA Inspection: MOUNTAINEER KILN DRY, LLC

Issued

Sep 29, 2025

Penalty

Initial $2,050 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.22(a)(1): The employer did not ensure that all places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces are kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition:   a) Debarker; On or about July 23, 2025 and times prior, a build-up of saw dust was found across all walking working surfaces of the floor, on electrical panels and caked on and around equipment motors. The dust was not cleaned at the end of each day.  b) Head Saw; On or about July 23, 2025 and times prior, a build-up of saw dust was found across all walking working surfaces of the floor, on electrical panels and caked on and around equipment motors. The dust was not cleaned at the end of each day.  c) Transfer conveyors from head saw to edger; On or about July 30, 2025 and times prior, a build-up of saw dust was found across all walking working surfaces of the floor, on electrical panels, and caked on and around equipment motors. the dust was not cleaned at the end of each day.  d) Floor under edger; On or about July 30, 2025 and times prior, a build-up of saw dust was found across all walking working surfaces of the floor, on electrical panels, and caked on and around equipment motors. the dust was not cleaned at the end of each day.   e) Trim Saw;  On or about July 30, 2025 and times prior, a build-up of saw dust was found across all walking working surfaces of the floor, on electrical panels, and caked on and around equipment motors. the dust was not cleaned at the end of each day.  f) Chipper/Hog; On or about July 23, 2025 and times prior, a build-up of saw dust was found across all walking working surfaces of the floor, on electrical panels, and caked on and around equipment motors. the dust was not cleaned at the end of each day.  No abatement certification or documentation required.

Issued

Sep 29, 2025

Penalty

Initial $1,640 · Current $800 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.28(b)(11)(ii): Each flight of stairs having at least 3 treads and at least 4 risers was not equipped with stair rail systems and handrails as required in Table D-2 of this standard:  a)  Debarker stairs; On or About July 23, 2025 and times prior, employees were permitted to use the 36 inch wide stair system having 15 risers that was not provided with a hand rail installed on one of the two open sides, exposing employees to falls up to 10 feet.  No abatement certification or documentation required.

Issued

Sep 29, 2025

Abate by

Oct 24, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.29(b)(2)(i): Midrails were not installed at a height midway between the top edge of the guardrail system and the walking-working surface.  a) Working surface behind head saw cab. On or about July 23, 2025, employees use the walkway to go between the head saw and debarker.  The walkway was equipped with a railing but did not have a midrail on the railing, exposing employees to falls up to 8 feet.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date.  The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Sep 29, 2025

Abate by

Oct 24, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.29(f)(4): Openings in a stair rail system exceeded 19 inches at its least dimension.  a)Head Saw stairs; On or before July 23, 2025, employees enter the head saw operator cab through a set of stairs.  The stairs are equipped with a railing but do not have an intermediate railing, creating an opening of approximately 43 inches exposing employees to falls up to 6 feet.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date.  The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Sep 29, 2025

Abate by

Oct 24, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(4)(ii):Procedures did not clearly and specifically outline the scope, purpose, authorization, rules, and techniques to be utilized for the control of hazardous energy, and the means to enforce compliance including, but not limited to, 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(ii)(A), (c)(4)(ii)(B), (c)(4)(ii)(C) and (c)(4)(ii)(D).   a) Sawmill. On or about July 23, 2025 and times prior, employees follow a lockout procedure to change blades, clean and perform maintenance on the machine centers.  The procedure is missing vital information, to include but not limited to, lockout points, energy sources needing locked out and magnitude of the energy sources to adequately instruct the employees on locking out the machine centers, which exposed employees to pinch point, in-going nip point and caught in hazards.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date.  The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Sep 29, 2025

Abate by

Oct 24, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(g)(8):  The employer did not maintain in the workplace copies of the required safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical, and did not ensure that they were readily accessible during each work shift to employees when they were in their work area(s):    (a)  Sawmill. On or about July 23, 2025 and times prior to, employees use various types of sawing equipment that produces wood products and wood dust.  The employer did not maintain copies of the safety data sheets for the wood dust and wood products.