Land O'Lakes, Inc.: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Sep 8, 2020: Employee with covid-19 infection is hospitalized

On September 8, 2020, an employee who performed maintenance duties at a food manufacturing facility was hospitalized with COVID-19. The employee last worked on September 1, 2020. The employee was tested and treated for COVID-19 before being discharged on September 17, 2020. The company was found to have a robust COVID-19 Tracking Program. The company had instituted a "quadrant check" which required that employees sign-in and out from each quadrant of the plant in order to track COVID-19 transmission by location. But, the date, time and other details leading up to exposure are not indicated in the narrative. Information regarding engineering, administrative and personal protective equipment controls for COVID-19 are not included in the narrative.

Incident on Aug 2, 2020: Employee is injured when exposed to chlorine gas

At 9:00 a.m. on August 2, 2020, an employee was cleaning Butter Printers 11 and 12 using a clean-in-place sanitation system. A coworker had connected chemical supply tanks to the incorrect lines causing incompatible chemicals to be introduced into system. When the employee began the cleaning, chemicals were pumped into the mix tank and a chemical reaction occurred releasing chlorine gas exposing him and coworkers in the surrounding areas. Coworkers were evacuated from the area and the employee suffered acute exposure to chlorine gas and was hospitalized to treat acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, chemical pneumonitis, pneumonia, and pleuritic chest pain.