August 3, 2016
OSHA finds machine safety violations at Prairie State Generating Company four times in less than five years, company fined more than $67K
Employer name: Prairie State Generating CompanyMarissa, Illinois
Citations issued: July 29, 2016
Investigation findings: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued three repeated and four serious safety violations to Prairie State Generating Company for exposing workers to machine hazards. OSHA opened its investigation in May 2016, after receiving a complaint alleging unsafe working conditions.
The agency found the company failed to:
- Develop machine specific safety procedures to control hazardous energy sources.
- Conduct periodic inspections of energy control procedures.
- Follow procedures to isolate multiple sources of energy to operating machines.
- Train workers in machine safety procedures.
- Inspect work areas and equipment prior to removing lockout/tag out devices.
Quote: "OSHA has specific guidelines to protect workers from dangerous machinery. By following these energy isolating procedures, employers can prevent workers from coming in contact with machine operating parts, preventing serious injuries," said Aaron Priddy, OSHA's area director in Fairview Heights. "Lack of machine safety procedures cause hundreds of serious work injuries each year and are among the hazards OSHA most frequently cites. When OSHA cites employers like Prairie State Generating for repeat violations of the same safety standards, it shows a real lack of concern for employee safety. This is unacceptable and changes must be made immediately."
Proposed Penalties: $67,700.
View Citations here.
Background: Prairie State Energy Campus includes a coal-fired generating plant and adjacent coal mine. The facility generates 1,600 megawatts of power, with 100 percent of the output dedicated to nine Midwestern-based public power utilities that provided energy to 2.5 million homes.
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 Fairview Heights Area Office at 618-632-8612.
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August 3, 2016
2016 OSHA Statement
MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 3, 2016
PSGC Response to OSHA Citations
On July 29, 2016, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued citations to Prairie State Generating Company (PSGC). Importantly, no employees were injured in any of the instances contained in the citations.
“The safety of our employees is of the utmost importance to everyone at Prairie State, and we take these citations very seriously,” said Don Gaston, President and CEO of the Prairie State Generating Company. “Prairie State has been and will continue to work with OSHA officials to reach a final conclusion.”
PSGC is dedicated to continual improvement in all aspects of its business, including its safety system. The power plant has not had a single lost time incident since September 2015, more than 300 consecutive days. The power plant leadership and safety teams are analyzing the alleged violations, while working to insure and always improve the safety of all employees.
Located in Washington County, Illinois, the Prairie State Energy Campus is a technologically-advanced electric generation facilities utilizing domestic Illinois coal resources from its adjacent underground mine to power its 1600 megawatt power plant. Since 2012, Prairie State has been providing baseload electricity on behalf of its Owners to more than 2.5 million families across the Midwest.
Contact: Ashlie Kuehn
Public Relations & Government Affairs
(618) 402-1607
ashliekuehn06@gmail.com
lscott@psgc-llc.com