OSHA and a grain handling company have signed a comprehensive settlement requiring the company to implement safeguards, training, and audit procedures at its 20 grain handling facilities in six states. The agreement resolves contested citations issued by OSHA in April 2012 after six individuals were killed and two injured as a result of an Oct. 29, 2011, explosion at the Atchison grain elevator. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, the company has agreed to pay $182,000 in penalties. The agreement requires the company to review its safety and health management system and consult with industry experts to conduct a detailed audit of the system’s effectiveness. The company will also give its internal Safety Manager authority to stop unsafe operations; obtain a qualified third-party to review new installations or material modifications to dust filter collectors and grain stream processing equipment; update its housekeeping and preventative maintenance programs; enhance its training procedures; and report to OSHA on a quarterly basis throughout the term of the agreement.
The company has agreed to work with OSHA, the independent Grain Elevator and Processing Society, and the National Grain Feed Association to educate employees on hazards and share best practices for employee training and education. In addition, the company will supplement their annual employee grain training with outreach and training on grain engulfment and rescue to first responders and community members, including independent farmers, following any grain engulfment incidents within a 60-mile radius of any one of their facilities for a period of three years. The company will also acquire and maintain grain bin rescue tubes at all locations. The company will install and require the use of fall protection for workers on top of railcars contiguous to or inside a structure and within a loading zone. Overhead protection systems will be installed at all facilities where grain is loaded onto railcars.
Here are the details of this agreement: