The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health
Administration has proposed penalties of $374,500 against Cooperative
Plus Inc., a farmer-owned cooperative, for federal workplace safety
violations at its Whitewater and Genoa City, Wis., sites. These
penalties follow $721,000 in penalties issued earlier this month after
a worker was seriously injured from being engulfed by soybeans at the
cooperative's Burlington, Wis., facility in February.
"This continued non-compliance with long established safety
standards for working in grain handling operations by Cooperative Plus
Inc. shows a complete disregard for worker safety," said Assistant
Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. "All workers have the
right to work in a safe environment, and the Labor Department will use
all legal means necessary to ensure companies comply with established
safety requirements."
Based on its investigation of the
Cooperative Plus facility in Whitewater, OSHA has fined the company
$210,000 for three alleged willful violations. The company failed to
test the atmosphere before entry and to have an employee entering wear
a safety harness and lifeline. It also failed to post an employee to
observe the entry, and to turn off and lock out power to the auger
before workers entered the grain bins.
The Genoa City
facility has received a proposed $70,000 penalty for one alleged
willful violation, again for failing to shut down and lock out power to
the grain bin augers before workers entered the bins.
In
addition to the willful citations, the company has received $35,500 in
proposed penalties for seven alleged serious violations at the
Whitewater facility. The citations allege, among other violations, that
the company lacked an emergency action plan and failed to train workers
in the emergency use of respirators and on safe grain handling hazards.
It also failed to test the oxygen levels in pits prior to entry or to
maintain air-monitoring equipment for confined space entries. The
company also has received a $59,000 proposed penalty for 11 alleged
serious violations found at Genoa City. Violations address failures to
implement confined space procedures while working in fertilizer tanks;
to test the air quality before workers entered fertilizer tanks; to
meet requirements for an emergency action plan; to train workers on
grain handling hazards annually; and to equip employees with body
harnesses and lifelines while working in grain bins.
OSHA
recently sent letters to other grain storage companies warning them of
their responsibility to comply with grain-handling and confined space
entry standards.
The company has 15 business days from
receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply with or
contest OSHA's findings before the independent Occupational Safety and
Health Review Commission. To report workplace accidents, fatalities or
situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA's toll-free
hotline at 800-321-6742.