Ammonia hazard training absent for temporary workers at Illinois meat processing plant

Employer name: Stampede Meat Inc., Bridgeview, Illinois Reliable Staffing Services operating as Flexible Staffing Services, Lake in the Hills, Illinois Accurate Personnel of Chicago

Citations issued: Sept. 22, 2015.

Investigation findings: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Calumet City Area Office issued one repeated and one serious safety violation to Stampede Meat. OSHA initiated an inspection of the Bridgeview meat processing facility April 30 after receiving a complaint of unsafe working conditions.

The repeated violation is for failing to provide training to new employees, including temporary workers, about hazardous chemicals, such as refrigerant ammonia in use in the facility. The company was cited for this violation in 2011. A serious violation cites the company for failing to train workers on emergency action plan procedures. Such plans are required when hazardous materials are in use.

Proposed penalties: $45,500

Quote: "Stampede Meat has a responsibility to train its workforce about the chemical hazards they work with every day," said Kathy Webb, OSHA's area director in Calumet City. "The company needs to evaluate its safety and health programs and make immediate improvements to protect workers on the job."

OSHA also cited Reliable Staffing Services which operates as Flexible Staffing Services of Lake in the Hills and Accurate Personnel of Chicago, staffing companies which supply about 1,200 employees to the facility, for failing to train workers in these hazards. The staffing companies each face $14,000 in penalties for two serious violations.

Link to citations:

• Stampede Meat, Inc.
• Flexible Staffing Services
• Accurate Personnel of Chicago

To ask questions; obtain compliance assistance; file a complaint or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Calumet City Area Office at 708-891-3800.