The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) fined Pilgrim’s $59,500, citing three serious violations and one repeat violation in connection to the electrocution of a worker at a poultry processing plant in Nacogdoches, Texas.
Bobby Joe Beall, 50, died the morning of August 4 after being exposed to an electric shock while working on machinery at the Nacogdoches poultry plant.
According to KLTV, OSHA cited Pilgrim’s, alleging it was in violation of the following rules:
- The circuits and equipment to be worked on shall be disconnected from all electric energy sources. Control circuit devices, such as push buttons, selector switches, and interlocks, may not be used as the sole means for deenergizing circuits or equipment. Interlocks for electric equipment may not be used as a substitute for lockout and tagging procedures.
- A lock and a tag shall be placed on each disconnecting means used to deenergize circuits and equipment on which work is to be performed... The lock shall be attached so as to prevent persons from operating the disconnecting means unless they resort to undue force or the use of tools."
- A qualified person shall use test equipment to test the circuit elements and electrical parts of equipment to which employees will be exposed and shall verify that the circuit elements and equipment parts are deenergized. The test shall also determine if any energized condition exists as a result of inadvertently induced voltage or unrelated voltage backfeed even though specific parts of the circuit have been deenergized and presumed to be safe. If the circuit to be tested is over 600 volts, nominal, the test equipment shall be checked for proper operation immediately after this test.
- Each disconnecting means ... for motors and appliances shall be legibly marked to indicate its purpose, unless located and arranged so the purpose is evident.
Pilgrim’s is contesting the violations, according to OSHA.
