OSHA Inspection: PACAL INDUSTRIES, LLC

Issued

Mar 28, 2012

Abate by

Oct 12, 2012

Penalty

Initial $5,400 · Current $3,232 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2): Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of copper fume listed in Table Z-1 in excess of 0.1 mg/m3 (milligrams per cubic meter) as an 8 hour Time Weighted Average (TWA) concentration:    (a)  A welder was exposed to copper fume at an 8 hour time weighted average of 0.1875 mg/m3, approximately 1.88 times the limit of 0.1 mg/m3; this limit is established to prevent irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and skin and acute lung damage/edema.  The sample was collected on January 26, 2012 during a 450 minute sampling period; exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 30 minutes not sampled.    (b)  A welder was exposed to copper fume at an 8 hour time weighted average of 0.1200 mg/m3, approximately 1.2 times the limit of 0.1 mg/m3; this limit is established to prevent irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and skin and acute lung damage/edema.  The sample was collected on January 26, 2012 during a 443 minute sampling period; exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 37 minutes not sampled.    Abatement documentation required per 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

Mar 28, 2012

Abate by

Apr 7, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(e):   Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not implemented to reduce employee exposure.    (a)  A welder was exposed to copper fume at an 8 hour time weighted average of 0.1875 mg/m3, approximately 1.88 times the limit of 0.1 mg/m3; this limit is established to prevent irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and skin and acute lung damage/edema.  The sample was collected on January 26, 2012 during a 450 minute sampling period; exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 30 minutes not sampled.    (b)  A welder was exposed to copper fume at an 8 hour time weighted average of 0.1200 mg/m3, approximately 1.2 times the limit of 0.1 mg/m3; this limit is established to prevent irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and skin and acute lung damage/edema.  The sample was collected on January 26, 2012 during a 443 minute sampling period; exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 37 minutes not sampled.    Feasible methods of control include, but are not limited to: positioning of the welder and material on which he/she is welding, different welding methods, different welding equipment, portable snorkels, or local exhaust ventilation.    Abatement will normally be multi-step as follows:    STEP 1:  Effective respiratory protection shall be provided and used and a respiratory protection program shall be developed and implemented for 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 permissible exposure limits.  Abatement date: ___________________    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 exposure to hazardous substances as references in this citation.  This plan shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the following actions which must be consistent with the abatement dates required by this citation.    1.  Evaluation of engineering/administrative control options;  2.  Selection of optimum control methods and completion of design;  3.  Procurement, installation, and operation of selected control measures; and  4.  Testing and acceptable or m0dification/redesign of controls.    All proposed control measure shall be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person.    Thirty (30) day progress report is required during the abatement period.      STEP 2 abatement date is ____________________________    STEP 3:  Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.    STEP 3 abatement date is ____________________________