OSHA cites Ray-Carroll County Grain Growers in Carrollton as a result of fatal accident in February

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.marshallnews.com/story/1248727.html

Thursday, August 23, 2007

KANSAS CITY -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited the Ray-Carroll County Grain Growers' grain storage and farm supply cooperative in Carrollton for four alleged willful violations of federal health and safety law following a double fatality at the facility in February, according to an OSHA news release posted Aug. 15.

The agency is proposing penalties totaling $189,000.

"Grain handling facilities have the potential to be extremely hazardous," said Charles E. Adkins, OSHA's regional administrator in Kansas City. "The two employees in this case were working on a grain pile to break up clots to assist grain flow through a ground-level grate when they were engulfed by the grain. Employers must remain committed to keeping the workplace safe and healthful to prevent these types of accidents."

The alleged willful violations are for failing to train employees to manage hazards associated with special tasks they are assigned, failing to provide a lifeline or alternative means for employees walking or standing on or in stored grain, failing to isolate all equipment presenting a danger to employees walking or standing on or in stored grain posing an engulfment hazard and allowing an employee to be present in moving grain.

Willful violations are those committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and regulations.

FULL story at link.