1910.272 Grain Handling: citations, penalties and recently cited employers
Data as of October 5, 2026 · citations issued Oct 5, 2025 to Oct 5, 2026
Applies to grain elevators, feed mills, flour mills, rice mills, dust pelletizing plants, dry corn mills, soybean flaking operations, and dry grinding of soycake. Employers must have an emergency action plan, train workers, issue hot work permits, and follow strict procedures for bin entry, including locking out equipment, using body harnesses with lifelines, and providing an observer. A written housekeeping program must control grain dust accumulations, and equipment must be inspected and maintained to reduce ignition sources.
What the standard requires
- Train employees on grain handling hazards and bin entry procedures
- Issue permits and follow lockout procedures before entering bins and silos
- Provide harnesses, lifelines, and an observer for bin entry
- Implement a written housekeeping program to control grain dust
- Issue hot work permits and maintain equipment to prevent ignition
Hazards it addresses
- Engulfment and suffocation in grain
- Grain dust explosions
- Entanglement in augers and conveyors
Cited at grain elevators, feed mills, ethanol plants, and agricultural cooperatives.
Plain-language summary written for this site; it is not the regulatory text and not legal advice. Read the official text at eCFR.
Citations by month
Inspections with citations issued, by month of issuance. Hatched months are incomplete: citations reach the public data about a month after issuance.
Most-cited paragraphs
| Paragraph | What it covers | Items | Inspections | Median initial penalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910.272(g)(1)(ii) | Entry into bins, silos, and tanks | 14 | 14 | $5,792 |
| 1910.272(g)(1)(i) | Entry into bins, silos, and tanks | 6 | 6 | $6,810 |
| 1910.272(g)(1)(iii) | Entry into bins, silos, and tanks | 6 | 6 | $0 |
| 1910.272(j)(1) | Housekeeping and grain dust control | 5 | 5 | $4,200 |
| 1910.272(d) | 4 | 4 | $3,376 | |
| 1910.272(e)(1) | Training | 4 | 4 | $0 |
| 1910.272(g)(5) | Entry into bins, silos, and tanks | 4 | 4 | $10,049 |
| 1910.272(j)(2)(ii) | Housekeeping and grain dust control | 4 | 4 | $10,758 |
| 1910.272(e)(1)(ii) | Training | 3 | 3 | $3,310 |
| 1910.272(g)(4) | Entry into bins, silos, and tanks | 3 | 3 | $0 |
| 1910.272(j)(3) | Housekeeping and grain dust control | 3 | 3 | $3,310 |
| 1910.272(m)(4) | 3 | 3 | $11,585 | |
| 1910.272(e)(2) | Training | 2 | 2 | $0 |
| 1910.272(g)(3) | Entry into bins, silos, and tanks | 2 | 2 | $0 |
| 1910.272(m)(1)(i) | 2 | 2 | $1,419 |
Penalties
Across 76 alleged items, OSHA and state-plan offices proposed $741,513 in initial penalties. The current total in the public data is $446,067, 40% lower after settlements, contests and amendments.
By violation type: Serious 79%; Other-than-serious 14%; Repeat 5%; Willful 1%.
Citations by state
| State | Inspections cited | Items | Initial penalties | Current penalties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | 6 | 8 | $73,956 | $57,560 |
| Illinois | 5 | 12 | $148,658 | $111,742 |
| North Carolina | 5 | 10 | $67,855 | $67,110 |
| South Dakota | 3 | 7 | $26,377 | $17,032 |
| Texas | 3 | 9 | $100,294 | $61,119 |
| Georgia | 2 | 4 | $17,026 | $17,026 |
| Minnesota | 2 | 3 | $5,200 | $4,800 |
| Ohio | 2 | 4 | $109,716 | $40,884 |
| Virginia | 2 | 6 | $0 | $0 |
| Iowa | 1 | 1 | $6,384 | $3,192 |
| Michigan | 1 | 1 | $400 | $400 |
| Missouri | 1 | 2 | $9,930 | $0 |
| Oregon | 1 | 6 | $10,203 | $10,203 |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 3 | $165,514 | $55,000 |
By industry
- Wholesale trade: 19 inspections
- Manufacturing: 8 inspections
- Agriculture, forestry & fishing: 2 inspections
- Administrative & waste services: 2 inspections
- Public administration: 2 inspections
- Transportation & warehousing: 2 inspections
Recently cited establishments
About these records. Citations list alleged violations and proposed penalties. Employers can contest them, and many are reduced or withdrawn in settlement. Each row shows the original and the current penalty and a status label derived from the public data as of October 5, 2026. Check the linked osha.gov page for the official record.
| Establishment | Location | Issued | Alleged items | Initial penalty | Current penalty | Status and deadlines | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name withheld (individual) | Lincoln, IL | Aug 28, 2026 | 2 | $15,018 | $1,100 | Informal settlementAbatement due Sep 29, 2026 | osha.gov |
| The Ottawa Cooperative Association | Scranton, KS | Aug 24, 2026 | 1 | $11,585 | $6,951 | Informal settlementAbatement due Sep 18, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Agri Trails Co.-OP | Carlton, KS | Aug 21, 2026 | 1 | $8,511 | $5,107 | Informal settlement | osha.gov |
| Piqua Farmers Coop | Piqua, KS | Aug 20, 2026 | 1 | $4,965 | $2,979 | Informal settlement | osha.gov |
| Charles Clay/Debra Heath | Cofield, NC | Aug 19, 2026 | 2 | $6,620 | $6,620 | Final orderAbatement due Aug 27, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Perdue Foods LLC | Cofield, NC | Aug 19, 2026 | 5 | $33,100 | $33,100 | Final orderAbatement due Aug 27, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Name withheld (individual) | Wolsey, SD | Jul 16, 2026 | 1 | $6,384 | $3,830 | Informal settlement | osha.gov |
| Hamel Co.-OP Grain Co. | Hamel, IL | Jul 8, 2026 | 2 | $5,676 | $3,406 | Informal settlementAbatement due Aug 3, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Gillis Bros. of Blackshear, Inc. | Blackshear, GA | Jun 29, 2026 | 3 | $2,838 | $2,838 | Final orderAbatement due Jul 24, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Prairie Aquatech Manufacturing, LLC | Volga, SD | Jun 18, 2026 | 2 | $16,021 | $11,216 | Informal settlementAbatement due Jul 22, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Marion AG Service Inc. | Saint Paul, OR | May 13, 2026 | 6 | $10,203 | $10,203 | Final order | osha.gov |
| Ardent Mills LLC | Hastings, MN | May 1, 2026 | 1 | $4,200 | $4,200 | ContestedAbatement due May 5, 2026Contested May 7, 2026 | osha.gov |
| The Mennel Milling Company | Logan, OH | Apr 3, 2026 | 1 | $8,040 | $4,824 | Informal settlementAbatement due May 8, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Hansen-Mueller | Kansas City, MO | Mar 27, 2026 | 2 | $9,930 | $0 | Formal settlementAbatement due Oct 13, 2026Contested Apr 23, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Virginia Department of Corrections | State Farm, VA | Mar 24, 2026 | 5 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due May 8, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Name withheld (individual) | Red Oak, IA | Mar 19, 2026 | 1 | $6,384 | $3,192 | Informal settlement | osha.gov |
| The Mennel Milling Company | Alger, OH | Mar 17, 2026 | 3 | $101,676 | $36,060 | Informal settlementAbatement due Mar 30, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Heartland Co.-OP Bernstein | Spearman, TX | Mar 17, 2026 | 1 | $16,550 | $16,550 | Informal settlementAbatement due Apr 15, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Farmers Grain Company | Caldwell, KS | Mar 4, 2026 | 1 | $11,585 | $5,213 | Informal settlementAbatement due Mar 30, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Alliance Grain Company | Gibson City, IL | Feb 18, 2026 | 5 | $113,492 | $100,000 | Informal settlementAbatement due Mar 19, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Ardent Mills, LLC | Easton, PA | Feb 18, 2026 | 3 | $165,514 | $55,000 | Final orderAbatement due Jul 31, 2026Contested Mar 18, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Vhgc Inc. | Brockway, MI | Feb 17, 2026 | 1 | $400 | $400 | Final orderAbatement due Mar 20, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Virginia Department of Corrections | State Farm, VA | Feb 11, 2026 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Mar 10, 2026 | osha.gov |
| M&M Service Company | Carlinville, IL | Feb 9, 2026 | 2 | $14,472 | $7,236 | Informal settlementAbatement due Mar 6, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Agri Trails Co.-OP | Chapman, KS | Jan 29, 2026 | 1 | $4,965 | $4,965 | Final orderAbatement due Feb 25, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Labolt Farmers Grain Co. | Marietta, MN | Jan 27, 2026 | 2 | $1,000 | $600 | Informal settlementAbatement due Feb 6, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Hereford Grain Corp. | Hereford, TX | Jan 26, 2026 | 6 | $57,925 | $18,750 | Informal settlementAbatement due Feb 24, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Panhandle Milling, LLC | Dawn, TX | Jan 22, 2026 | 2 | $25,819 | $25,819 | ContestedAbatement due Feb 20, 2026Contested Feb 12, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Shepherd's Lawn Care - Landscaping, LLC | Chadbourn, NC | Jan 9, 2026 | 1 | $4,965 | $4,220 | Informal settlementAbatement due Jan 20, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Perez Gamas Contractor LLC | Chadbourn, NC | Jan 9, 2026 | 1 | $6,620 | $6,620 | Final orderAbatement due Jan 20, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Murphy-Brown LLC | Chadbourn, NC | Jan 9, 2026 | 1 | $16,550 | $16,550 | ContestedAbatement due Feb 26, 2026Contested Feb 17, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Keystone Foods LLC | Camilla, GA | Dec 23, 2025 | 1 | $14,188 | $14,188 | Formal settlementAbatement due Jul 31, 2026Contested Jan 21, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Legacy Grain Cooperative | Dalton City, IL | Dec 5, 2025 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Informal settlementAbatement due Dec 16, 2025 | osha.gov |
| Farmers Elevator Company | Platte, SD | Dec 1, 2025 | 4 | $3,972 | $1,986 | Informal settlementAbatement due Jan 2, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Beachner Grain Inc. | Bronson, KS | Nov 20, 2025 | 3 | $32,345 | $32,345 | Formal settlementAbatement due Apr 6, 2026Contested Dec 19, 2025 | osha.gov |
Often cited together
- 1910.28 Fall Protection Duty (9 shared inspections)
- 1910.146 Confined Spaces (5 shared inspections)
- 1910.1200 Hazard Communication (4 shared inspections)
- 1910.307 Hazardous Locations (4 shared inspections)
- 1910.219 Power Transmission Guarding (3 shared inspections)
- 1910.147 Lockout/Tagout (3 shared inspections)
- 1910.305 Wiring Methods (3 shared inspections)
- 1910.212 Machine Guarding (3 shared inspections)
Questions
What does OSHA standard 1910.272 require?
Applies to grain elevators, feed mills, flour mills, rice mills, dust pelletizing plants, dry corn mills, soybean flaking operations, and dry grinding of soycake. Employers must have an emergency action plan, train workers, issue hot work permits, and follow strict procedures for bin entry, including locking out equipment, using body harnesses with lifelines, and providing an observer. A written housekeeping program must control grain dust accumulations, and equipment must be inspected and maintained to reduce ignition sources.
How often was 1910.272 cited in the last 12 months?
In the public data as of October 5, 2026, 1910.272 (Grain Handling) appeared in 35 inspections with citations issued between Oct 5, 2025 and Oct 5, 2026, covering 76 alleged violation items.
Which part of 1910.272 is cited most?
1910.272(g)(1)(ii) was the most-cited paragraph, with 14 items: Entry into bins, silos, and tanks
Which states cite 1910.272 most often?
The most citations under 1910.272 in this period were issued in Kansas, Illinois, North Carolina.
What is the typical penalty for a 1910.272 violation?
The median initial (proposed) penalty per item was $4,086; the median current penalty after settlements and amendments was $1,844. Totals: $741,513 proposed, $446,067 current. Penalties vary by violation type, employer size and history, and State Plans set their own amounts.
Are 1910.272 citations final?
Not necessarily. A citation is an allegation until it becomes a final order. 17% of these items were contested, and many others were changed in settlements. Each listing shows its current status and a link to the official record.