OSHA Inspection: PRAIRIE STATE GENERATING COMPANY, LLC

Issued

2016-07-29 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-08-24 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7000.00 · Current $7000.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(d)(2)(viii)(B): Retraining was not conducted whenever a periodic inspection under paragraph (d)(2)(v) of this section reveals, or whenever the employer had reason to believe, that there were deviations from or inadequacies in an employee's knowledge or use of the energy control procedures:  Instance A:  Between February 25, 2016 to March 11, employees were exposed to burns from fly ash while working in Unit 1's silo, and the employer did not conduct retraining when deviations or inadequacies in the employees' use of the energy control procedures were observed.   Instance B:  On or about March 8 and 9, 2016, employees were exposed to a limestone slurry from an 11,000 gallon a minute pump while conducting work on a 90 degree elbow, and the employer did not conduct retraining when deviation or inadequacies in the employees use of the energy control procedure were observed.   Instance C:  On or about May 10, 2016, an employee was exposed to a 480 volt electrical service which was removed from LOTO 7363 prior to it being reconnected to a pug mill pump, and the employer did not conduct retraining when deviations or inadequacies in the employees' use of the energy control procedure was observed.

Issued

2016-07-29 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-08-24 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $5500.00 · Current $5500.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(d)(7)(i): Before the releasing lockout/tag out devices, the work area was not inspected to ensure that nonessential items have been removed and that machine or equipment components were operationally intact:  On or about May 10, 2016, an employee was exposed to 480 volt current from a feeder when the employer did not inspect the connection to ensure that the feeder line was reconnected to a pump before releasing the lockout/tag out devices for the pump.

Issued

2016-07-29 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-08-24 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $6600.00 · Current $6600.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(d)(8)(iv): Whenever outside servicing personnel were to be engaged in activities covered by paragraph (d) of this section, the on-site employer and the outside employer did not inform each other of their respective lockout or tag out procedures, and each employer did not ensure that his or her personnel understand and comply with restrictions and prohibitions of the energy control procedures being used:    Between February 29, 2016 and March 1, 2016, seven contractor employees were exposed to slurry while conducting work in a reagent slurry tank, and the employer did not comply with the energy control procedures restrictions concerning  removal of employees from tracking sheet for LOTO Permit 7285.

Issued

2016-07-29 00:00:00

Abate by

2017-01-31 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $6600.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(d)(8)(v)(A): The employer did not use a procedure that affords employees a level of protection equivalent to that provided by the implementation of a personal lockout or tagout device:     On or about February 29, 2016 and March 1, 2016, seven contractor employees were exposed to slurry while conducting work in a reagent slurry tank, and the employer's use of a tracking sheet did not afford a level of protection equivalent to a personal lockout or tagout device.

Issued

2016-07-29 00:00:00

Abate by

2017-01-31 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $14000.00 · Current $12471.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(d)(2)(iv): The energy control procedure did not clearly and specifically outline the scope, purpose, responsibility, authorization, rules, and techniques to be applied to the control of hazardous energy, and the measures to enforce compliance:    Instance 1:   Between February 25, 2016 and March 8, 2016, employees were exposed to fly ash while working in Unit 1's silo, and the employer's energy control procedure did not provide specific requirements for:   -shutting down isolating, blocking and securing equipment,  -and the testing equipment to determine and verify the effectiveness of lockout devices, tag out out devices, and other energy control measures.     Instance 2:   On or about March 8 and 9, 2016, employees were exposed to a limestone slurry from an 11,000 gallon per minute pump while conducting work on a 90 degree elbow, and the employer's energy control procedure did not provide specific requirements for:   -shutting down, isolating, blocking, and securing equipment,   -and the testing a machine or equipment to determine and verify the effectiveness of lockout devices, tag out out devices, and other energy control measures.     Instance 3:   On or about May 10, 2016, an employee was exposed to a 480 volt electrical service which was removed from LOTO 7363 prior to it being reconnected to a pug mill pump, and the employer did not have a procedure steps to outline responsibility for the removal of the lock out and tag out devices.      The Prairie State Generating Company, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.269(d)(2)(iv), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 968776, citation number#2, item number#3 and was affirmed as a final order on 11-10-2014, with respect to a workplace located at Prairie State Generating Company, LLC, 3872 County Hwy 12 Marissa, IL 62257.

Issued

2016-07-29 00:00:00

Abate by

2017-01-31 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $14000.00 · Current $12471.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(d)(2)(v): The employer did not conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure at least annually to ensure that the procedure and the provisions of paragraph (d) of this section were being followed:    Instance A:   Between February 25, 2016 and March 11, 2016, employees were exposed to fly ash while working in Unit 1's silo, and the employer did not conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure to ensure that the procedure and provisions of paragraph (d) of this section were being followed.     Instance B:   On or about March 8 and 9, 2016, employees were exposed to a limestone slurry from an 11,000 gallon per minute pump while conducting work on a 90 degree elbow, and the employer did not conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure to ensure that the procedure and provisions of paragraph (d) of this section were being followed.     Instance C:   On or about May 10, 2016, an employee was exposed to a 480 volt electrical service which was removed from LOTO 7663 prior to it being reconnected to a pug mill pump, and the employer did not conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure to ensure that the procedure and provisions of paragraph (d) of this section were being followed.    The Prairie State Generating Company, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.269(d)(2)(v), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 968776, citation number #2, item number #4 and was affirmed as a final order on 11-10-14, with respect to a workplace located at Prairie State Generating Company, LLC,3872 County Hwy 12 Marissa, IL 62257.

Issued

2016-07-29 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-08-24 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $14000.00 · Current $12471.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(d)(6)(iii): All energy isolating devices that were needed to control the energy to the machine or equipment were not physically located and operated in such a manner as to isolate the machine or equipment from energy sources:    On or about February 25, 2016, employees working in the Unit 1 Fly Ash were not protected from the hazard of hot ash entering the silo when the employer did not have an energy isolating device for value 1-HF-FV461 (Tag#13 on the LOTO) which was the discharge from the common fluidizing air blower to the Unit 1 silo.     On or about March 8 or 9, Hayes Mechanical employees were exposed to a limestone slurry from an 11, 000 gallon per minute pump while conducting work on a 90 degree elbow due to an open manual isolation gates around the U1 recirc AOV.     Between February 25, 2016, and March 11, 2016, employees working in the Unit 1 Fly Ash Silo were not protected from the hazard of hot ash entering the silo when the employer did not have an energy isolating device for fluidizing air valve 1-HF-FV1461.      The Prairie State Generating Company, LLC, was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.269(d)(6)(iii), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 968876, citation number 02, item number 05 and was affirmed as a final order on 11-10-14, with respect to a workplace located at Prairie State Generating Company, LLC.