OSHA Inspection: ARTCO-BELL CORPORATION

Issued

Sep 9, 1998

Abate by

Sep 15, 1998

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not
furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from
recognized hazards that
were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to
employees in that employees
were exposed to excessive levels of heat stress during the performance of
their duties working
on the paint lines and drying area.
(a)  The Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index in the paint line drying
area on
July 22,1998 ranged from 9703$F to greater than 91$F during the 2 hour 10
minute sampling
period.  Such exposure(s) may lead to the development of serious heat
induced illness(es), such
as heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, heat syncope, heat rash and
transient heat fatigue.
(b)  The estimated metabolic workload for employees on the paint line put
them in the
"moderate" workload category as correlated with the guidelines established
by the American
Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) and the National
Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).  The paint line crew is
responsible for hanging and
unhanging items to be painted.
Means of feasible abatement include, but may not be limited to:
1)  Establishment of provisions for a work/rest regimen so that exposure
time to
high temperatures is decreased and/or the work rate is decreased.
2)  Development of a formal heat stress program which incorporates:
(a) a training program informing employees about the effects of
heat stress, symptoms of heat-induced illnesses, and prevention of
heat-induced illnesses;
(b) use of heat stress instruments to monitor the work
environment;
(c) an acclimation program for new employees and employees
returning from periods of absence of three or more days;
(d) a screening program to identify health conditions aggravated by
elevated temperatures;
(e) provisions for providing cool drinking water and/or
electrolytes; and,
(f) provisions to provide rest areas with cooler temperatures.