A Galva-based company with a long history of OSHA violations has been cited again for additional hazards.
All-Feed Processing and Packaging Inc., which manufactures pet food, was cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for “willful and repeat violations for exposing workers to combustible and respiratory dust hazards,” according to a May 14, 2014 statement from OSHA.
The latest citations were issued after a November 2013 inspection of the company’s facility. All-Feed was cited for five willful violations for exposing workers to combustible pea flour dust without adequate dust collection and explosion protection. They were also cited for failing to require respiratory protection to prevent workers from inhaling dust particles.
“OSHA has inspected All-Feed 14 times since 2000, resulting in more than 70 violations,” the OSHA statement said. Those violations include citations for noise level violations, air contaminant and respiratory protection violations. All-Feed was also found in civil contempt of court in 2012 for failing to allow OSHA inspectors into their facility between May and July 2011.
“All-Feed Processing and Packaging continues to demonstrate a complete disregard for the health and safety of its workers by failing to protect them from combustible dust hazards. These can ignite quickly-without warning-and can cause catastrophic damage,” said Tom Bielema, OSHA’s area director in Peoria. “The employees at All-Feed deserve an employer that cares about their safety, and this company keeps failing to provide that.”
OSHA has proposed $254,000 in fines for All-Feed in addition to requiring that the problems be corrected.
The company has 15 business days (from the day it receives the citations) to comply with OSHA requirements, formally contest the findings or request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director.
To view the citations, visit http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/All-FeedProcessingandPackaging_948509_0509_14.pdf* and http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/All-FeedProcessingandPackaging_948541_0509_14.pdf*
