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

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): 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 grain product fire hazards associated with an indoor fluid bed dryer processing dry corn products which was not equipped with a means of fire protection: On or about May 17, 2017 through May 29, 2017, the employer operated the expander #5 fluid bed dryer located on the 1st floor of the C mill without an automatic fire protection system. The employer relied on employees to manually extinguish a fire that occurred on May 29, 2017 within this dryer. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to abate this hazard is to follow the provisions of the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) Standard 61 "Standard for the Prevention of Fires and Dust Explosions in Agricultural and Food Processing Facilities, 2017 ed." to ensure that dryers have a means for detecting abnormal conditions that indicate the presence or potential of a fire and ensure that the detection system activates an alarm system and automatic fire extinguishing system. See NFPA 61 (2017) - Sections 8.3.9.4.3 (dryer fire detection, alarm, and interlocking systems) and 8.3.9.4.4 (dryer suppression and extinguishing systems).