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OSHA Fines
Tyson Foods $339,500 for Alleged Violations
The U.S.
Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) has cited Tyson Foods Inc. in Noel, Missouri, for serious,
willful, repeat and other-than-serious violations of safety and
health standards. The agency is proposing penalties totaling
$339,500.
OSHA began
an inspection January 9 as part of its Site-Specific Targeting
Program, which targets the nation's most hazardous workplaces
based on histories of high numbers of injury and illness. As
a result, the agency is issuing $146,000 in proposed penalties
for 46 serious violations, $55,000 for one willful violation,
$137,500 for eight repeat violations and $1,000 for four other-than-serious
violations.
"Employers
must provide a safe and healthful working environment and ensure
that all employees are protected from hazardous conditions,"
said Charles E. Adkins, CIH, OSHA's regional administrator in
Kansas City. "This employer was well aware of federal standards
to protect employees from the hazards found during inspection,
yet did not comply with them."
The alleged
serious violations address: a lack of exhaust duct grease filters
and inspections; floors not maintained in a clean and dry condition;
unguarded walking/working surfaces above four feet; obstructed
exits; exit routes inadequately illuminated and one adjacent
to a high-hazard area; unavailable and underdeveloped energy
control procedures; an incomplete annual inspection not understood
by employees; and lack of training.
Serious violations
also were noted for a lack of identification tags on slings;
broken oxygen gauges; storage of incompatible chemicals; a lack
of hazard communication labeling and training; aisles too small
for forklift traffic; powered industrial trucks not being inspected
prior to use and used in a damaged condition; an unguarded conveyor
belt system; unguarded belts and pulleys; flash burn from welding
rays; exposed, energized electrical wiring; and hazards associated
with process safety management.
The alleged
repeat violations include unsafe stacking of material; unguarded
moving parts of machinery and equipment; unguarded revolving
drum ends; exposed, energized electrical wiring; not providing
a distinctive alarm for an ammonia release; not providing quick
drench/eyewash stations in needed areas; containers of hazardous
chemicals lacking labels displaying appropriate chemical identities
and hazard warnings; and not providing effective hazard communication
training.
The alleged
willful violation addresses not providing procedures for emergency
shutdown and startup following an emergency shutdown of the process
system. The other-than-serious violations include exit doors
not being marked; recordkeeping; medical evaluation and inaccessible
material safety data sheets.
The employer
has 15 working days to contest the citations and proposed penalties
before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review
Commission. The site was inspected by staff from OSHA's Kansas
City Area Office, 6200 Connecticut Ave., Room 100; telephone
(816) 483-9531.
Source: OSHA News Release 7/12/07
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