OSHA Inspection: VALLEY PRESTRESS PRODUCTS, INC.

Issued

Dec 10, 2009

Abate by

Jan 29, 2010

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $1,000

Hazardous substances 8330

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 hazards of excessive levels of heat stress while
manufacturing concrete grid
beams on or about July 9, 2009, and at times prior thereto. Such exposures
may lead to the
development of serious heat-induced illnesses such as heat stroke, heat
exhaustion, heat syncope
(heat-induced loss of consciousness), heat rash, and transient heat
fatigue.
(a)  At the worksite located at 1520 Calhoun Road, Eagle Lake, Texas,
employees were
exposed to hazardous levels of heat while performing outside work
manufacturing pre-stress
concrete grid beams on or about July 9, 2009, and at times prior thereto,
resulting in heat-
induced illnesses including heat exhaustion as evidenced by employee
reports of nausea,
vomiting, dizziness, headache, and transient heat fatigue. The Wet Bulb
Globe Temperature
(WBGT) index in the production yard ranged from 87 degrees Fahrenheit to
greater than 93
degrees Fahrenheit during the 92 minute sampling period on July 9, 2009.
The estimated
metabolic workload for employees performing tasks along the pouring 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). Concrete casting work by the
forming crew required
ensuring even distribution of concrete by guiding the pouring chute,
shoveling the concrete,
operating hand-held vibrators for internal vibration of freshly-poured
concrete, troweling excess
concrete off forms, moving extension cords from generators powering
internal vibrators along
the bed, sweeping and shoveling up excess concrete and scrap material from
between the beds
and loading the material into wheel barrows, spreading curing mats on
forms,
and manually
pushing trailers loaded with supplies such as safety cones, drinking
water, internal vibrators,
extension cords, and harnesses through the yard between pouring lines.
There was no protection
from the sun in the production yard because large cranes were being used
to move the forms and
finished products. The National Weather Service had issued a Heat Advisory
for all of southeast
Texas from July 8, 2009 through July 12, 2009 due to daytime highs in the
lower 100's and heat
indices of 108 or above. According to the Western Regional Climate Center,
hourly local
climatological data collected on July 9, 2009 by the Attwater National
Wildlife Reserve Remote
Automated Weather Station (RAWS) near Eagle Lake, Texas measured heat
indices of 101
degrees Fahrenheit at 9:00 am, 108 degrees Fahrenheit at 11:00 am, and 109
degrees Fahrenheit
by 1:00 pm.
Means of feasible abatement to correct these hazard(s) 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, and/or rest
periods are increased
in length and frequency.
2. Adjusting the work periods such that the more vigorous tasks (such as
casting the concrete
and sweeping and shoveling during clean-up) are not performed during peak
temperatures of the
day.
3. Development of a formal heat stress program which incorporates: (a) use
of heat stress
instruments to monitor the work environment; (b) a heat acclimation
program to increase heat
tolerance of new employees and employees returning from periods of absence
of 3 or more days;
(c) provision of a cooler area where heat-affected employees may recover
when symptoms ofheat-related illness are recognized in, or reported by,
employees; (d) availability of adequately
trained personnel at the work site to treat workers that develop signs or
symptoms of a serious
heat related illness, such as heat stroke; (e) maintenance of ice or iced
water in adequate
amounts for immediate first aid to heat stroke victim(s); and (f) a
continuing training program
informing employees about: (1) The hazards of heat-related injuries and
illness(es) and
preventative measures; (2) Predisposing factors and relevant signs and
symptoms of heat-related
illness; (3) Potential health effects of excessive heat stress; (4)
Importance of immediate
reporting to onsite management personnel of the development of signs or
symptoms of heat-
related illness observed in or reported by employees; (5) First aid
procedures for heat-related
illnesses; (6) Importance of immediate administration of appropriate first
aid to workers
reporting or displaying symptoms of heat-related illness; and (7) Effects
of therapeutic drugs and
social drugs (including alcohol) that may increase the risk of heat injury
or illness by reducing
heat tolerance.

Issued

Dec 10, 2009

Abate by

Jan 29, 2010

Penalty

Initial $1,350 · Current $850 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

Issued

Dec 10, 2009

Abate by

Mar 15, 2010

Penalty

Initial $1,350 · Current $850 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

Issued

Dec 10, 2009

Abate by

Jan 29, 2010

Issued

Dec 10, 2009

Abate by

Jan 29, 2010