OSHA Inspection: BRITE WAY CLEANERS

Issued

Jan 8, 2004

Abate by

Feb 26, 2004

Penalty

Initial $1,750 · Current $900 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 the condition(s) listed below:
Bolton Brite Way Cleaners, Inc. dba Brite Way Cleaners, Lubbock, Texas;
For the period of
time up to and including August 28, 2003, the employer did not provide a
safe and healthful
workplace, in that for the period of time leading up to August 28, 2003,
employees were
exposed to excessive heat levels.
Area sampling for heat exposure to the following employees at the work
location at 8004 Indiana
Avenue in Lubbock, TX was conducted on August 28, 2003, between 11:00 am
and 2:30 pm.
All employees were engaged in continuous work, without hourly work/rest
cycles.
a) An employee working as a presser at a work station designated #1 press,
who was engaged
in tasks that would be classed as moderate work, was exposed to a wet bulb
globe temperature
(WBGT) averaging 83.0 degrees Fahrenheit (28.33 degrees C).
b) An employee working as a presser at a work station designated #3 press,
who was engaged
in tasks that would be classed as moderate work, was exposed to a WBGT
averaging 83.1 F
(28.39 C).
c) An employee working as a presser at a work station designated #4 press,
who was engaged
in tasks that would be classed as moderate work, was exposed to a WBGT
averaging 84.2 F
(29.0 C).
d) An employee working as a presser at a work station designated #5 press,
who was engaged
in tasks that would be classed as moderate work, was exposed to a WBGT
averaging 85.8  F
(29.89 C).
Despite ventilation systems that used evaporative coolers blowing almost
directly on employees
in some locations, these heat levels exceed the ACGIH Threshold Limit
Value for continuous
moderate work: 80.0 F (26.67). This condition exposed employees to work
conditions which can
cause illness such as, but not limited to, heat cramps, heat exhaustion
and or heat stroke.
Feasible and acceptable methods to correct this hazard includes, but are
not limited to.
a) Following the guidelines of the OSHA Technical Manual to limit heat
induced work injuries -
such as implementing work/rest cycles of 75work and 25rest, when the
rest area is at the
same temperature as the rest of the work place. Shorter rest times may be
used if the rest area
is significantly cooler than the work place.
b) Implement engineering controls adequate for laundering and dry cleaning
operations, such as
installing more effective cooling systems.
c) Implement work practices such as, but not limited to, employee training
on the signs and
symptoms of heat stress hazards and emergency procedures for treating
employees who report
such symptoms.
d) Provide adequate levels of potable water and electrolyte supplements
for employee use in the
workplace.

Issued

Jan 8, 2004

Abate by

Feb 11, 2004

Penalty

Initial $1,000

Issued

Jan 8, 2004

Abate by

Jan 21, 2004

Issued

Jan 8, 2004

Abate by

Jan 28, 2004