"To ensure that injury and illness rates continue to decline, we must make sure that employers protect employees from workplace hazards," said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao.
ADM Milling Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Archer Daniels Midland, has approximately 2,500 employees company-wide, with 142 employees at the Lincoln site. OSHA has inspected ADM Milling Co. several times at various locations across the United States between 2001 and 2003, issuing citations for hazardous conditions similar to those found at the Lincoln facility.
Repeat citations were issued to the company in the current inspection for failure to guard ingoing nip points; failure to guard rotating shafts, pulleys, sprockets and chains; and the continued use of temporary cords instead of fixed wiring. OSHA issues a repeat citation when an employer is cited for a hazard for which it has been cited in the past.
The serious citations alleged inadequate guardrails; inadequate specific procedures for lockout/tagout and failure to perform annual inspections of these procedures; point of operation guarding; unguarded open sides or edges; unguarded projecting shaft ends; unguarded projecting shaft ends with keyways; belt guarding; and failure to ensure electrical equipment was safe for employee use.
Serious citations are issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from hazards about which the employer knew or should have known.
The firm has 15 working days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to either comply with them, to request and to participate in an informal conference with the OSHA area director or to contest them before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
