OSHA Inspection: HERITAGE INDUSTRIAL FINISHING, INC.

Issued

Mar 21, 2012

Abate by

Jun 20, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $4,900

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1):  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:    On or about November 17, 2011, conditions existed in the facility which presented dust explosion, deflagration, and fire hazards.    The powder coat spray booth enclosure and associated powder recovery units were not provided with deflagration venting or a deflagration suppression system.

Issued

Mar 21, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $1,260 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(b)(1):  Aisles and passageways were not kept clear and in good repair, with no obstruction across or in aisles that could create a hazard:      On or about November 17, 2011, aisles were not kept clear of obstructions where powered industrial trucks were used, in that there were bins and pallets of parts blocking the aisleways.

Issued

Mar 21, 2012

Abate by

Jun 20, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $4,900

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(b)(1):  When employees were subjected to sound exceeding those listed in Table G-16, feasible administrative or engineering controls were not utilized:      On December 6, 2011, the employee drying parts with compressed air was exposed to continuous noise levels at 222% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour, time-weighted average sound level of 90 dbA or equivalently, a dose of 100 percent), during the 319 minute sampling period.   Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 161 minutes not sampled.    Note:  Methods of abatement include but are not limited to the following:    1.  Rotate employees out of the area once they have reached their maximum exposure of the workday.   2.  Replace compressed air nozzles with noise reducing nozzles.      Abatement Steps:    1.  Effective hearing protection shall be provided and used by all exposed employees as an interim protection measure and when administrative or engineering controls fail to reduce sound levels within the levels of table G-16.  In addition, an effective hearing conservation program in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.95(c) thru (n) shall be maintained.  Abatement must be completed by     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 exposure to noise as referenced in this citation.  This plan shall include at a minimum, target dates for the following actions which must be consistent with the dates required by this citation.      a)	Evaluation of engineering control options.  b)	Selection of optimum control method and completion of design.  c)	Procurement, installation and operation of selected control measures.  d)	Testing and acceptance or modifications/redesign of controls.    All proposed control measures shall be evaluated for each particular use by a competent Industrial Hygienist or other technically qualified person.  Abatement must be completed by      3.  Abatement should have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.  Abatement must be completed by

Issued

Mar 21, 2012

Abate by

Jun 20, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1):  The employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.9(c) through (o) whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale, or equivalently a dose of fifty percent:    a.  On December 6, 2011, the employee powder coating parts was exposed to continuous noise levels at 85.4% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour, time-weighted average sound level of 85 dbA or equivalently, a dose of 50 percent), during the 365 minute sampling period.   Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 115 minutes not sampled.     b.  On December 6, 2011, the employee drying parts with compressed air was exposed to continuous noise levels at 229% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour, time-weighted average sound level of 85 dbA or equivalently, a dose of 50 percent), during the 319 minute sampling period.   Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 161 minutes not sampled.     c.  On December 6, 2011, the employee hanging and taking parts off the coating line was exposed to continuous noise levels at 83.5% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour, time-weighted average sound level of 85 dbA or equivalently, a dose of 50 percent), during the 368 minute sampling period.   Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 112 minutes not sampled.

Issued

Mar 21, 2012

Abate by

Jun 20, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.107(i)(8):  The electrical equipment was not interlocked with the ventilation of the spraying area so that equipment could not be operated unless the ventilation fans were operational:    On or about November 17, 2011, the hand spraying equipment was not interlocked with the ventilation in the powder coat booth to prevent operation of the equipment without the ventilation fans.

Issued

Mar 21, 2012

Abate by

Mar 28, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $2,940 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.107(l)(1):  Electrical equipment and other sources of ignition did not conform to the requirements of paragraphs (c)(1)(i)-(iv), (8) and (9)(i) of this section and subpart S of this part:      On or about November 17, 2011, vacuum cleaning equipment used to clean up combustible powder was not in compliance with 29 CFR 1910.307(c)(1) contained in Subpart S,  in that, the equipment was not intrinsically safe for use in hazardous locations.

Issued

Mar 21, 2012

Abate by

Apr 20, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.307(c):  Equipment, wiring methods, and installations of equipment in hazardous (classified) locations were not intrinsically safe, approved for the hazardous (classified) location, or safe for the hazardous (classified) location:      On or about November 17, 2012, electrical equipment including, but not limited to, outlets and disconnects, were not approved for Class II, Division 2 locations.

Issued

Mar 21, 2012

Abate by

Apr 4, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.107(l)(4)(i):  All areas were not kept free of the accumulation of powder coating dust:      On or about November 17, 2011, there were powder coating dust accumulations in areas such as, but not limited to the floors, walls, booth, and electrical installations.

Issued

Mar 21, 2012

Abate by

Apr 4, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,200 · Current $2,520 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.242(b):  Compressed air was used for cleaning purposes when not reduced to less than 30 p.s.i.:    On December 6, 2011, an employee was drying parts from the parts wash with compressed air which was approximately 75 psi.

Issued

Mar 21, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $2,100

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(b)(7)(iv):  There were damaged parts that could adversely affect safe operation or mechanical strength of the equipment, such as parts that were broken, bent, cut, or deteriorated by corrosion, chemical action, or overheating:    On or about November 17, 2011, the electrical conduit and associated electrical outlet used to plug in the cord to the pedestal fan was severely corroded, affecting both the safe operation and strength of the equipment.

Issued

Mar 21, 2012

Abate by

Mar 24, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.304(g)(5):  The path to ground from circuits, equipment, and enclosures was not permanent, continuous, and effective:      On or about November 17, 2011, the pedestal fan did not have a path to ground, in that the male end of the flexible cord from the fan with a three-prong plug was plugged into an extension cord with the female end having a two-prong receptacle.

Issued

Mar 21, 2012

Abate by

Mar 24, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $1,260 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(1)(ii):  Unused openings in boxes, cabinets, or fittings were not effectively closed:    Heritage Industrial Fininshing, Inc. - 1874 Englewood Ave., Akron, OH:  On or about October 3, 2011, there were breakers missing from the circuit breaker box in the main electrical area.    Heritage Industrial Fininshing, Inc. - 171 Kelly Ave., Akron, OH:  On or about December 6, 2011, the circuit breaker box door was open and there were open, unused knockouts in the circuit breaker panel above the facility light switches.

Issued

Mar 21, 2012

Abate by

Mar 24, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(g)(2)(ii):  Flexible cords were not used only in continuous lengths without splice or tap:      On or about December 6, 2011, the flexible cord on the pedestal fan was not used in continuous lengths without splice or tap, in that; it was spliced with the cord from a portable light.

Issued

Mar 21, 2012

Abate by

Mar 5, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $2,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(c):  An employee(s) was exposed to total dust in excess of the 8-hour time weighted average limits of 15 mg/m3 listed in Table Z-3:    On or about December 6, 2011, employees were exposed to total dust above the OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL).  The powder coater was exposed to total dust at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 42.34 mg/m3.  This is 2.8 times the PEL of 15 mg/m3.

Issued

Mar 21, 2012

Abate by

Mar 5, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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 prescribed in 29 CFR 1910.1000(a) through (d):    On or about December 6, 2011, employees were exposed to total dust above the OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) and feasible engineering and/or administrative controls were not implemented.  The powder coater was exposed to total dust at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 42.34 mg/m3.  This is 2.8 times the PEL of 15 mg/m3.    Engineering controls usually effective in these circumstances include but are not limited to the following:    1.  Installation of local exhaust ventilation.    2.   Worker rotation.    Abatement Steps    STEP 1:  Effective respirators shall be provided and used by all employee(s) as an interim measure.  Abatement must be completed by ***5 days***.     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 as referenced in this citation.  This plan shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the following actions which must 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 method(s).    d)  Determination of control measure design.    e)  Ordering and delivery of equipment and material(s).    f)  Installation of control measures.    g)  Training of employees in proper operation and maintenance of newly-implemented control measures.    h)  Assurance of effective performance of control measures.    All proposed control measures shall be evaluated for each particular use by a technically qualified person.  Abatement must be completed by ***30 days***.    STEP 3:  Correction should have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls and their effectiveness in achieving compliance.  Abatement must be completed by ***60 days***.

Issued

Mar 21, 2012

Abate by

Mar 24, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(l)(1):  The employer did not post of copy of 29 CFR 1910.95 in the workplace:    On or about December 6, 2011, the employer did not have a copy of the occupational noise exposure standard posted in the workplace.