A company that processes corn flour was cited by OSHA for exposing employees to dangerous levels of combustible dust accumulation as well as electrical hazards, which is not a good combination. Minsa Corp, in Lubbock, Texas was cited for 33 serious violations, with a total penalty fine of $151,200. The classification for a ‘serious violation’ is when there is a high probability that death or severe physical harm could come from a hazard that the employer knew, or should have known, about.
OSHA’s area director, Elizabeth Linda Routh, explained the reason for the fines: “Dust accumulation exists in many industries including flour, feed, grain and sugar, requiring these employers to implement a standard housekeeping policy. It is the employer’s responsibility to find and fix hazards that could harm workers.”
Within the plant there were electrical components that were covered with dust, breaker boxes and junction boxes that were not properly closed, and other live electrical components that were not protected. Not only could these have caused shock or electrocution to employees, but this could have caused a spark or fire to ignite the combustible dust hazards present.
To make the situation even more dangerous to workers, emergency exits were blocked. If the excessive amounts of combustible grain dust had ignited the workers would not have been able to escape safely and would have been stuck inside the burning facility.
Workers in this corn flour mill also had to contend with being exposed to dangerous machinery, and potential falls from platforms without guardrails.
Combustible dust cleaning needs to be performed by trained professionals using specific equipment; an untrained employee using general cleaning equipment can actually make the situation worse.
To ask questions, receive compliance assistance, file a complaint or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities, or danger to workers, anyone can call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).
If your facility has combustible dust hazards that need to be removed, contact a professional at Hughes Environmental to get your facility in compliance before you are fined by OSHA.
The OSHA citations can be found at: http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/MinsaCorporation_986315_012115.pdf.
