Successor Companies To Former Egg Farm Fined By OSHA

Dec. 5, 2000
OSHA cited four successor companies to the former Decoster Egg\r\nFarm of Turner, Maine, for various health and safety violations.

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OSHA cited four successor companies to the former Decoster Egg Farm of Turner, Maine, -- Maine Ag, Maine Contract Farming, PFS Loading Services, and Turner Maintenance & Services, all of Turner -- for various health and safety violations.

The proposed combined penalties facing the companies is $125,600.

According to C. William Freeman, OSHA area director for Maine, the alleged violations were discovered during follow-up inspections initiated June 12, 2000, to determine the companies'' compliance with earlier settlement agreements and correction of hazards cited in earlier inspections.

"While the overall number of citations has declined from previous inspections, these latest inspections still identified several instances where significant safety and health problems reoccurred," said Freeman. "The most serious of these include structurally unsound or unsupported roof rafters and elevated catwalks in outbuildings, failure to ensure that employees knew how to properly clean and disinfect respirators, allowing an employee to use torn gloves while removing chicken carcasses, having employees consume food in unsanitary locations, the use of defective cranes and trucks, contaminated and defective eyewash facilities and unprotected propane fuel tanks."

"Though progress has been made, such backsliding is indefensible," continued Freeman. "These companies must intensify and improve upon their previously stated commitment to provide a safe and healthful work environment."

On June 12, 1996, OSHA cited Decoster Egg Farms, the world''s largest producer of brown eggs, for numerous egregious safety and health violations at its Turner, Maine, egg farm and proposed $3.6 million in fines.

In May 1997, Decoster Egg Farms entered into a comprehensive settlement agreement which required correction of all cited hazards, development of a comprehensive safety and health program, procurement of a safety director, an independent audit and payment of a $2 million fine.

In September 1997, A.J. ''Jack'' Decoster contracted with four new companies, owned by former Decoster Egg Farm employees, to raise chickens, transport eggs, market eggs and service equipment.

OSHA inspections conducted between November 1998 and June 1999, resulted in the companies being cited for a total of 78 violations for which they paid $224,625 in fines.

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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