Text For Citation: 02 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 hazards associated with combustible grain dust explosion, deflagration or other fire hazards resulting from the failure to ensure that switch station flex hoses (part of a grain pneumatic conveying system) on the 5th floor of A mill were conductive, bonded and grounded: The employer does not ensure that pneumatic conveying systems handling combustible grain dusts are conductive, bonded, and grounded. This violation was most recently documented as occurring as outlined below: On or about May 17, 2017 through May 31, 2017, recognized conductivity and bonding/ grounding deficiencies associated with the non-metallic, non-conductive flexible hose utilized at the switch station on the 5th floor of A-mill had not been resolved. Non-conductive flexible ducting was utilized at the transfer switch stations on the 5th floor of the A-mill. 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 pneumatic conveyance system ducting is made of conductive materials and is also bonded and grounded. See NFPA 61 (2017) - Sections 8.3.3.2.1 (system components to be electrically conductive), 8.3.3.2.2 (bonding and grounding for all system components), 8.5.2.2 (bonding and grounding as static ignition source control), and A.3.3.3.2.1 (NFPA 77 for guidance on static electricity) and NFPA 77 "Recommended Practice on Static Electricity, 2014 ed." -  Sections 15.7.2 (pipes and ducts to be metal and be grounded) and 15.8.1 (prohibited use of non-conductive flexible hoses).