The Purina Animal Nutrition plant in Wichita, Kansas, USA, has been cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for multiple workplace safety violations.
OSHA said an inspection in October 2015 found multiple violations:
- Workers exposed to fall hazards 6-10 feet from ladderway floor openings and platforms lacking guardrails.
- Employees exposed to grain dust explosion hazards. The employer failed to implement housekeeping procedures to prevent grain dust accumulation in priority and non-priority areas. In some areas, more than 5 inches of dust had accumulated.
- Workers exposed to dangerous sudden machine starts as the company failed to inspect and test energy control procedures annually as required.
“Falls are one of the leading causes of death in the workplace,” said Judy Freeman, OSHA’s area director in Wichita, in a press release. “To help employers, OSHA offers a Stop Falls online resource with detailed information in English and Spanish on fall protection as well as other safety standards.”
OSHA has set a proposed fine of US$40,200.
An attempt to reach Purina Animal Nutrition for comment was unsuccessful.
