Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard:

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that caused or were likely to cause death or serious physical harm in that employees were exposed to an inhalation hazard from an oxygen deficient atmosphere: (a) Protein for Pets Opco, LLC, dba All American Pet Proteins, at 259 30th Street, Greeley, CO: On and preceding 9/3/2021, the employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that caused or were likely to cause death or serious physical harm in that employees were exposed to an inhalation hazard from an oxygen deficient atmosphere. A liquid nitrogen system was utilized to freeze dry meat in the blenders of production lines 1, 3, 5, and 7. The liquid nitrogen, upon contact with ambient air, would boil and expand as a gas within the blenders displacing other gases such as oxygen. Employees performed operations with the blenders, including but not limited to assurance of function whereby a hatch of each blender would be raised to examine the process within. Employees were exposed to an oxygen deficient atmosphere when opening a hatch to examine the process, and where nitrogen gas escaped a blender and entered the adjacent work area.