OSHA Inspection: GJC CORP

Issued

Mar 2, 2012

Abate by

Mar 23, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,550 · Current $1,530 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 are free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees are exposed to struck-by and crushing hazards which could inflict death or serious injury while handling granite slabs:  (a)  GJC Corp dba Creations in Tile & Marble at 1320 S Inca Street, Denver, CO 80223:  On and before January 18, 2012, the employer did not follow safe slab handling procedures while transporting granite slabs.  Two employees were observed standing in the fall zone of the granite slab while moving a granite slab between the bridge saw and storage rack.  One employee stood in the fall zone in order to lock the clamp in place.  Two employees stood in fall zone while the granite slab was lowered onto the storage rack; in addition, these employees used their feet to further stabilize the granite slab.  This condition exposed employees to struck-by and crushing hazards.    Abatement Note:  Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to perform the following:  (1)  A slab wedge can be used to separate the granite slabs from one another by having two employees stand to the side of the slab and insert the wedge so that a clamping device can be placed onto the slab to be moved.  (2)  Institute and enforce a policy in which employees are prohibited from standing or putting any portion of their body in the fall zone of slabs.  (3)  Conduct employee training of safe handling procedures to ensure they fully understand the dangers of putting any portion of their body to the side of a moving and/or unsecured slab and the safe methods of maneuvering slabs.  Abatement Note:  Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (see enclosed Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet).

Issued

Mar 2, 2012

Abate by

Mar 23, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,550 · Current $1,530 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 1910.95(c) through (o) whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale (slow response), or equivalently, a dose of fifty percent:    (a)  GJC Corp dba Creations in Tile and Marble at 1320 S Inca Street, Denver, CO 80223:  On and before January 25, 2012, the employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.95(c) through (o) whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale (slow response), or equivalently, a dose of fifty percent.  Three employees conducted stone fabrication operations such as, but not limited to, cutting, grinding, and polishing on granite and engineered stone.  The employer did not establish a continuing, effective, hearing conservation program.  On January 25, 2012, one employee conducting hand-sawing, grinding, and polishing operations was exposed to noise at a dose of 73.3%, which is 1.47 times the action level of 50% dose.  This condition exposed the employee to hazardous noise.    Abatement Note:  A Hearing Conservation Program shall consist of:  (1)  Development and implementation of a noise monitoring program;  (2)  Notification of employees who are exposed to noise doses in excess of the action level (50% dose);   (3)  Baseline audiogram within six months of exposure at or above the action level with annual follow-up audiogram for purposes of tracking changes in employee hearing acuity;  (4)  Providing a variety of hearing protection and requiring its use where employees are exposed to noise above the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 100% dose, where employees are exposed to noise above the Action Limit (AL) of 50% dose and have not received a baseline audiogram or has experienced a standard threshold shift;   (5)  Annual training with regards to effects of noise upon hearing, use of hearing protection, and the purpose of the audiometric testing; and,  (6)  Retention of all records including audiometric testing results and noise monitoring results.  Abatement Note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (see enclosed Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet).

Issued

Mar 2, 2012

Abate by

Mar 23, 2012

Penalty

Initial $1,530 · Current $918 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.243(c)(3):  Abrasive wheels used on vertical portable grinder(s) (right angle head grinders) were not provided with safety guard(s) having a maximum exposure angle of 180 degrees and located between the operator and wheel:  (a)  GJC Corp dba Creations in Tile & Marble at 1320 S Inca Street, Denver, CO 80223:  On and before January 25, 2012, the employer did not ensure that an abrasive wheel on a right angle grinder was used with a guard.  One employee was observed using an unguarded abrasive wheel to conduct stone fabrication operations.  This condition exposed the employee to a projectile hazard.    Abatement Note:  Equipment may only be modified in accordance with the manufacturers specifications.  Abatement Note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (see enclosed Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet).

Issued

Mar 2, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(1)(iii):  The employer did not identify and evaluate the respiratory hazard(s) in the workplace which includes a reasonable estimate of employee exposures to respiratory hazards and identification of the contaminants chemical state and physical form:  (a)  GJC Corp dba Creations in Tile and Marble at 1320 S Inca Street, Denver, CO 80223:  On and before January 13, 2012, the employer did not identify and evaluate the respiratory hazards in the workplace for operations such as, but not limited to, cutting, grinding and polishing on granite and engineered stone.  These activities expose employees to respirable silica.  This condition potentially exposes the employees to respiratory hazards.  Abatement Note:  Abatement certification is not required for this item.

Issued

Mar 2, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(5):  The employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged, or marked with the identity and appropriate hazard warnings regarding the chemicals contained therein:  (a)  GJC Corp dba Creations in Tile and Marble at 1320 S Inca Street, Denver, CO 80223:  On and before January 25, 2012, the employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the fabrication shop was labeled with the identity and appropriate hazard warning regarding the chemicals contained therein.  Employer uses Mobil Vactra Oil II and sealer during fabrication operations.  This condition potentially exposes employees to a chemical hazard.  Abatement Note:  Each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace must be labeled with the following information:  (1)  Identity of the hazardous chemical(s); and,  (2)  Appropriate hazard warnings with the specific information regarding the physical and health hazards of the hazardous chemical(s).  Abatement Note:  Abatement certification is not required for this item.