Highland Pellets, LLC. has one OSHA inspection on record in Arkansas.
OSHA opened it on Nov 27, 2018 on a referral, in Pine Bluff.
From that inspection OSHA issued 3 citation items: 3 serious.
OSHA proposed $27,846 in penalties. After settlements and reviews the total is $16,708, down 40%.
Most often, OSHA cited 1910.147, lockout/tagout (2 items).
For context, across all manufacturing employers the median penalty per cited inspection since 2015 is $4,500. Highland Pellets, LLC. averages $16,708 over 1 cited inspection in that time.
Highland Pellets, LLC. also files yearly injury logs with OSHA, summarized below.
It reported 3 severe injuries to OSHA since 2015.
Citation items per year, by inspection date.
Arkansas · latest 90 days of OSHA records
14employers cited
Get notified the morning OSHA posts each new citation in Arkansas: the employer, the site address, the rules broken and the penalty.
Incident on Nov 24, 2018: Employee amputates four fingers when caught in nip point
At 7:00 a.m. on November 24, 2018, an employee was adjusting the belt on the scalping machine when it actuated and caught his right hand's fingers in a pinch point, amputating four of them. The employee was hospitalized.
From the Form 300A summaries employers file with OSHA each year. Rate = recordable cases per 100 full-time workers.
In 2018, the Pine Bluff site logged 7 recordable injuries or illnesses among about 90 workers: 7.2 per 100 full-time workers, against a median of 4.6 for its industry. Those cases cost 86 days away from work.
Site and year
Workers
Cases
Days-away cases
Rate
Industry median
Highland Pellets
Pine Bluff · 2018
90
7
5
7.2
4.6
Highland Pellets, LLC
Pine Bluff · 2017
77
4
1
5.0
4.6
Severe injury reports
Employers must report any work-related amputation, in-patient hospitalization or loss of an eye to OSHA within 24 hours. 3 reports on file.
Aug 8, 2025, Pine Bluff: Hospitalization · thermal burns third degree or higher · forearm(s)
An employee was visually inspecting the drive line for a conveyor. There was an explosion in the conveyor, and the employee suffered second- and third-degree burns to both forearms.
An employee was changing a die inside the pellet mill of a press. The employee was using a torque wrench to tighten the inner bolts, applying pressure in a downward motion, when the wrench either gave way, or reached the desired amount of torque and completed its designed function to break loose. The employee's right thumb was caught between the wrench handle and a piece of adjacent equipment…
Nov 24, 2018, Pine Bluff: Hospitalization, amputation · amputations · finger(s), fingernail(s), n.e.c.
An employee was putting a belt onto a scalping machine. The machine was activated and four fingers on the employee's right hand were amputated.
The rules behind these citations
Current text from the Code of Federal Regulations. Some citations were issued under older wording.
(4) Energy control procedure. (i) Procedures shall be developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees are engaged in the activities covered by this section.
29 CFR 1910.147(c)(6)(ii)
(ii) The employer shall certify that the periodic inspections have been performed. The certification shall identify the machine or equipment on which the energy control procedure was being utilized, the date of the inspection, the employees included in the inspection, and the person performing the inspection.
29 CFR 1910.219 · Belts, pulleys and power-transmission parts
29 CFR 1910.219(p)(6)(ii)
(ii) Inspection shall be made of belts, lacings, and fasteners and such equipment kept in good repair.
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Source: U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA enforcement data. A citation is OSHA's allegation; employers can contest it, and the status column shows where each item stands. Something wrong on this page? Tell us.
