OSHA Inspection: STONE SYSTEMS OF COLORADO

Issued

2011-12-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2013-03-08 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3060.00 · Current $1836.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(c):  Employees were exposed to crystalline silica, listed in Table Z-3, in excess of the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL):    (a)	Stone Systems of Colorado, 577 Osage St., Denver, CO 80204:  On October 28, 2011 Stone Systems of Colorado did not ensure that employee exposure to crystalline silica did not exceed the 8 hour Time Weighted Average (TWA).   Employee A was working in the lamination area.  On October 28, 2011 Employee A was exposed to crystalline silica at a concentration greater than the 8 hour TWA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 0.26 mg/m3.  The employee was exposed to crystalline silica at a concentration of 0.49 mg/m3 as an 8 hour TWA.  This is 1.88 times the PEL.  Air monitoring was conducted for 465 minutes.    (b)	Employee B was working in the Quality Control area.  On October 28, 2011 Employee B was exposed to crystalline silica at a concentration greater than the 8 hour TWA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 0.26 mg/m3.  The employee was exposed to crystalline silica at a concentration of 0.51 mg/m3 as an 8 hour TWA.  This is 1.96 times the PEL.  Air monitoring was conducted for 393 minutes.      Abatement Note:  Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

2011-12-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2013-03-08 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(e): Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not determined and implemented to achieve compliance with the limits described in 29 CFR 1910.1000(a) through (d):    (a)	Stone Systems of Colorado, 577 Osage St., Denver, CO 80204: On  October 28, 2011, Stone Systems of Colorado did not ensure that employee exposure to a substance listed in Table Z-3 did not exceed the 8 hour Time Weighted Average (TWA) for that substance.  Employee A was working in the lamination area. On October 28, 2011 Employee A was exposed to crystalline silica at a concentration greater than the 8 hour TWA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 0.26 mg/m3.  The employee was exposed to crystalline silica at a concentration of 0.49 mg/m3 as an 8 hour TWA.  This is 1.88 times the PEL.  Air monitoring was conducted for 465 minutes.    (b)	Employee B was working in the Quality Control area.  On October 28, 2011 Employee B was exposed to crystalline silica at a concentration greater than the 8 hour TWA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 0.26 mg/m3.  The employee was exposed to crystalline silica at a concentration of 0.51 mg/m3 as an 8 hour TWA.  This is 1.96 times the PEL.  Air monitoring was conducted for 393 minutes.      Abatement Note:  Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").    Abatement Note:  Feasible engineering controls include, but are not limited to:    1)	Local exhaust ventilation; and     2)	Maintaining and cleaning the water recycling system more frequently.     3)	Ensuring hand held tools are adjusted properly to ensure the correct amount of water is being used.         STEP 1:	Effective respiratory protection shall be provided and used by exposed employees as an interim protective measure until feasible engineering and/or administrative controls can be implemented or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee exposure to within exposure limits.     	STEP 1 ABATEMENT (15 DAYS):  December 27, 2011                        STEP 2:	Submit to the Area Director a written detailed plan of abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measures to control employee exposures to silica. The plan shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the following actions which should be consistent with the dates required by this citation:    (a)	Evaluation of the extent and location of the hazard source    (b)	Evaluation of control measure options    (c)	Selection of optimum control measures    (d)	Determination of control measure design    (e)	Ordering and delivery of equipment    (f)	Installation of control measures    (g)	Training of employees in proper operation and maintenance of newly implemented control measures    (h)	Assurance of the effective performance of control measures    All proposed control measures shall be evaluated for each particular use but a competent Industrial Hygienist or other technically qualified person. Thirty (30) day progress reports are required during the abatement period. The progress report must identify the action taken to achieve abatement and the date the action was taken.     STEP 2 ABATEMENT DATE (60 DAYS): February 9, 2012    Step 3:	Abatement will be completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls and upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.     	STEP 3 ABATEMENT DATE (90 DAYS): March 12, 2012

Issued

2011-12-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2012-01-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(1): The employer did not ensure that employee(s) required to use a tight-fitting facepiece respirator   was fit tested with the same make, model, style and size of respirator that they are using:    (a)	Stone Systems of Colorado, 577 Osage St., Denver, CO 80204:  On and before October 14, 2011 the employer did not ensure that employees were fit tested with the Direct Safety N95 Respirators they are providing to them.     Abatement Note:  Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

2011-12-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2012-01-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(1): The employer did not ensure that employee(s) required to use a tight-fitting facepiece respirator passed the appropriate qualitative fit test (QLFT) or quantitative fit test (QNFT):    (a)	Stone Systems of Colorado, 577 Osage St., Denver, CO 80204:  On and before October 14, 2011 the employer did not ensure that employees passed a fit test before requiring the use of an N95 mask in the fabrication area. It was determined that four employees failed their fit tests.       Abatement Note:  Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

2011-12-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2012-01-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(1):  The employer did not provide training prior to requiring employees to use respirators in the workplace:    (a)	Stone Systems of Colorado, 577 Osage St., Denver, CO 80204: the employer did not provide respirator training prior to requiring the use of air purifying respirators while conducting sawmill operations.  It was determined that seven employees were missing training verification.     Note:	The employee shall ensure that each employee can demonstrate knowledge of at least the following:     (1)	Why the respirator is necessary and how improper fit, usage, or maintenance can compromise the protective effect of the respirator;    (2)	What the limitations and capabilities of the respirator are;    (3)	How to use the respirator effectively in emergency situations, including situation in which the respirator malfunctions;    (4)	How to inspect, put on and remove, use, and check the seals of the respirator;    (5)	What the procedures are for maintenance and storage of the respirator;    (6)	How to recognize medical signs and symptoms that may limit or prevent the effective use of respirators; and    (7)	The general requirements of this section    Abatement Note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

2011-12-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2012-03-12 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1):  The employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program, as described in paragraphs (c) through (o) of this section.  A hearing conservation program is required when employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level (TWA) of 85 decibels measured on the A scale (slow response) or, equivalently, a dose of fifty percent:           (a)	Stone Systems of Colorado, 577 Osage St., Denver, CO 80204: On and before October 14, 2011, the employer did not implement a continuing, effective hearing conservation program when employees were exposed to TWA sound levels in excess of 85 dBA.    An employee in the shop was selected to wear a Quest NoisePro dosimeter.  Employee A was exposed to an average sound level of 88 dBA, which corresponds to a dose of 76.59%.   This condition exposed the employee to the hazard of noise induced hearing loss. The monitoring was conducted for 463 minutes.      Abatement Note:  An effective hearing conservation program must incorporate as many of the following as is feasible:              1.   Monitoring of employee noise exposures.              2.   Implementation of engineering, work practice, and administrative                 controls to reduce noise.              3.   Provision of hearing protectors to those employees exposed above the                 Action Level of 85 dBA.  Hearing protectors must be fitted to the                 employee and provide a noise reduction rating appropriate to the noise                 levels in the work area(s).              4.   Employee training and education regarding noise hazards and protective                 measures.              5.   Baseline and annual audiograms.              6.   Procedures for preventing further occupational hearing loss when                 employee's audiograms indicate hearing loss is occurring.               7.   Recordkeeping.    Abatement Note: Abatement certification is required for this item (see enclosed Abatement Certification Letter").

Issued

2011-12-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2012-01-13 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.141(g)(2): No employee shall be allowed to consume food or beverages in an area exposed to toxic material:    (a)	Stone Systems of Colorado, 577 Osage St. Denver, CO 80204: On or before October 14, 2011, employees were eating and drinking in the fabrication area. This exposes food and beverages to contamination with silica. A wipe sample was taken from the surface lunch table and it was determined that silica dust was present.    Abatement Note:  Abatement certification is not required for this item.

Issued

2011-12-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2012-03-12 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(a)(5): If the truck is equipped with front-end attachments other than factory installed attachments, the user shall request that the truck be marked to identify the attachments and show the approximate weight of the truck and attachment combination at maximum elevation with load laterally centered:    (a)    Stone Systems of Colorado, 577 Osage St., Denver, CO 80204: On and before October 14, 2011 the forklift was equipped with front-end attachments other than factory installed attachments, however the employer did not request that the truck be marked to identify the attachments and show the approximate weight of the truck and attachment combination at maximum elevation with load laterally centered:    Abatement Note:  Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").