OSHA Fines Against Wood Pellet Manufacturer Following Accident

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U.S. Labor Department's OSHA Proposes $135,200 in Fines Against Jaffrey, N.H., Wood Pellet Manufacturer Following January Accident

Concord, N.H. - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited New England Wood Pellet LLC for 12 alleged violations of safety standards at its Jaffrey, N.H., manufacturing plant. The agency has proposed a total of $135,200 in fines after a January 23 accident in which an employee was caught in an unguarded conveyor.

"The sizable fines proposed here reflect the breadth and severity of the hazards identified during this inspection, including unguarded conveyors and exposure to fire and explosion hazards due to the design, construction and location of systems used to collect combustible wood dust generated during the manufacturing process," said Rosemarie Ohar, OSHA's area director in Concord. "It's imperative that the employer implement and maintain proper and effective safeguards to minimize these hazards and maximize protections for its employees."

OSHA issued New England Wood Pellet two willful citations, accounting for $112,000 of the proposed fines, for the combustible dust hazards and unguarded pulleys on four conveyors. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health.

The agency issued eight serious citations, with $19,200 in fines, for inadequate fall protection for employees working on conveyors; no program and employee training regulating work in confined spaces; failure to inspect energy control procedures and apply lockout devices to prevent the unexpected startup of machinery during maintenance; unguarded projecting shaft ends; not de-energizing electrical equipment prior to working on it; and lack of personal protective equipment for employees working on electrical equipment.

For the rest of this article please feel free to visit www.osha.gov.