Federal workplace safety inspectors have identified significant safety and health violations at a Wisconsin animal food production facility, exposing employees to risks of explosions, fires, and long-term respiratory illnesses due to excessive airborne dust.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) conducted an inspection at Strauss Feeds LLC in Watertown in February 2024 following complaints about unsafe working conditions. The inspection revealed that poor housekeeping, failure to evaluate spaces for dust hazards, and lack of engineering controls contributed to serious combustible and airborne dust hazards.
OSHA also found that Strauss Feeds did not develop a written respiratory protection program encompassing medical evaluations, fit-testing, monitoring, and training workers to recognize dust hazards.
“Unsafe levels of airborne dust can ignite suddenly, causing explosions and fires that jeopardize the safety of workers. Left unchecked, these same dust hazards can cause workers long-term health issues,” explained OSHA Area Director Chad Greenwood in Madison, Wisconsin. “Companies that manufacture products that create excessive dust particles must use engineering systems and highly effective respiratory protection programs to protect employees from harm.”
Additionally, OSHA noted that workers were exposed to hazards from walking and working surfaces, falls, confined spaces, and the operation of industrial trucks and forklifts when combustible dust was present. These conditions increased the risks of fire and explosion.
Inspectors cited Strauss Feeds for 19 serious violations and five other-than-serious safety and health violations. OSHA has proposed penalties totaling $161,332.
Founded in 1875 as a small water-powered mill on a farm in North Manchester, Indiana, Strauss Feeds now produces milk replacer for calves and other young animals. The company is currently under its sixth generation of family ownership.
Further information on respirable and combustible dust safety precautions can be found through OSHA resources.
