LEGAL02/31158397v2

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION

SECRETARY OF LABOR, )

)

Complainant )

)

v. ) Docket No. 08-1104

)

IMPERIAL SUGAR COMPANY; )

IMPERIAL-SAVANNAH, L.P. )

)

Respondents. )

____________________________________)

RESPONDENTS’ PROPOSED ORDER ON

MOTION TO DISMISS

Pursuant to the February 10, 2009 Notice of Hearing, Scheduling Order and Special

Notices, attached is a proposed order regarding Respondents’ Motion to Dismiss, filed on

January 27, 2009.

Respectfully submitted, this 26th day of February, 2009.

/s/ Charles H. Morgan

Charles H. Morgan

charlie.morgan@alston.com

Matthew J. Gilligan

matt.gilligan@alston.com

Ashley D. Brightwell

ashley.brightwell@alston.com

Jeremy D. Tucker

jeremy.tucker@alston.com

ALSTON & BIRD LLP

1201 West Peachtree Street

Atlanta, Georgia 30309-3424

(404) 881-7000

FAX: (404) 253-8757

Attorneys for Respondents
LEGAL02/31158397v2

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION

SECRETARY OF LABOR, )

)

Complainant, ) OSHRC Docket No. 08-1104

)

v. )

)

IMPERIAL SUGAR COMPANY; )

IMPERIAL-SAVANNAH, L.P. )

)

)

Respondents. )

)

ORDER ON MOTION TO DISMISS (Proposed)

Pending before the Commission is Respondents’ Motion to Dismiss Citation 2, Items 4

through 15. Respondents submit that the allegations contained in Citation 2, Items 4 through 15,

which allege violations of 29 C.F.R. § 1910.22(a)(1) and (2), fail to state a claim upon which

relief can be granted.

1. The alleged violative condition alleges only the existence of a “hazardous

accumulation” of combustible dust. While citations are frequently inartfully drawn and are not

to be as tightly construed as other pleadings, the citations do need to provide appropriate notice

to the employer as to the nature of the violation – both for purposes of defending against the

citation and for properly abating the citation. See, e.g., Alden Leeds, Inc. v. Occupational Safety

and Health Review Comm’n, 298 F.3d 256, 261 (3d Cir. 2002); Marshall v. B.W. Harrison

Lumber Co., 569 F.2d 1303, 1308 (5th Cir. 1978).

2. Because the citations at issue allege a hazard, but do not adequately describe or

define it, the citations at issue do not provide the Respondents fair notice of the alleged

violations and do not, pursuant to 29 U.S.C. § 658(a) and 29 C.F.R. § 1903.14(b) describe with

particularity the nature of the alleged violations, the Commission hereby GRANTS
- 3 -

LEGAL02/31158397v2

Respondents’ Motion. Citation 2, Items 4 through 15 of the Complaint are hereby dismissed for

failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.

SO ORDERED this ____ day of ___________________, 2009.

_________________________________

The Honorable Covette Rooney

U.S. OSHRC Judge
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LEGAL02/31158397v2

Prepared By:

Charles H. Morgan

charlie.morgan@alston.com

Matthew J. Gilligan

matt.gilligan@alston.com

Ashley D. Brightwell

ashley.brightwell@alston.com

Jeremy D. Tucker

jeremy.tucker@alston.com

ALSTON & BIRD LLP

1201 West Peachtree Street

Atlanta, Georgia 30309-3424

(404) 881-7000

FAX: (404) 253-8757

Attorneys for Respondents
- 5 -

LEGAL02/31158397v2

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION

SECRETARY OF LABOR, )

)

Complainant )

)

v. ) OSHRC Docket No. 08-1104

)

IMPERIAL SUGAR COMPANY; )

IMPERIAL-SAVANNAH, L.P. )

)

Respondents. )

____________________________________)

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I certify that all parties have consented that all papers required to be served in this action

may be served and filed electronically. I further certify that a copy of the within and foregoing

RESPONDENTS’ PROPOSED ORDER ON MOTION TO DISMISS was electronically served

on February 26, 2009 on the following counsel:

Karen E. Mock

Mock.Karen@dol.gov

Angela F. Donaldson

Donaldson.Angela@dol.gov

Office of the Solicitor

U.S. Department of Labor

61 Forsyth Street S.W.

Room 7T10

Atlanta, Georgia 30303

/s/ Charles H. Morgan

Charles H. Morgan

Alston & Bird LLP

1201 West Peachtree Street

Atlanta, Georgia 30309-3424

charlie.morgan@alston.com