OSHA has fined All-Feed Processing and Packaging in Galva, Ill. in penalties totaling$518,520. OSHA first began their inspection when a fire in April sent three workers to the hospital. After their inspection, OSHA found nine alleged willful, four serious, two repeat and two failure-to-abate violations.
Willful violations were in regards to combustible dust- inadequate housekeeping where combustible dust could accumulate and lack of explosion prevention systems. Other willful violations included items such as lockout/tagout issues and lack of warning signs. The serious violations included items such as fall hazards to confined space issues. The repeat violations mostly included failures regarding hazardous chemicals and lack of proper employee training. In the past, the company had been cited for these and had agreed to correct them but never did.
All-Feed President Tim Anderson said he disagreed with much of OSHA’s claims, including how it could determine these were violations, given that the building was burned extensively. “We asked that question, and they would not respond,” said Anderson. In regards to the hazardous chemical violations Anderson said, " “We have no hazardous chemicals except in a new description of feed ingredients such as corn meal, oatmeal, potato meal, which OSHA now considers a hazardous chemical.” “We have not had a hazardous chemical program because, until this new OSHA interpretation, feed has never been a hazardous chemical.”
Anderson also added "“With or without OSHA, it’s clearly our desire to provide a safe employee environment for everybody, and that everyone goes home safely at the closing of every shift,” he added. “The safety improvements to the facility have been foremost in our plans and will continue to be, not because of OSHA, but in spite of OSHA. The punitive fines don’t help in this process.”
Since the business opened its doors in 1997, they have been inspected by OSHA on seven occasions since January 2000. These inspections have resulted in the issuance of 31 serious, nine willful, four repeat and seven other-than-serious citations.
Sources:
Boock, Doug. "Galva’s All-Feed faces $518,520 in OSHA fines." Galesburg.com. GateHouse News Service, 19 Oct. 2009. Web. 22 Oct. 2009.
RP news wires, "All-Feed Processing and Packaging faces $518K OSHA fine". Reliable Plant Magazine.
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1 comments:
Two explosion in two years. Must have been an Act of God eh?
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