OSHA Inspection: KEYSTONE PLASTICS, INC.

Issued

Mar 22, 2012

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $2,275 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1):     The employer shall administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program, as described in paragraphs (c) through (o) of this section, whenever 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. For purposes of the hearing conservation program, employee noise exposures shall be computed in accordance with appendix A and Table G-16a, and without regard to any attenuation provided by the use of personal protective equipment.    a) Production Department    The employer did not implement a continuing, effective hearing conservation program for employees working on GB20 Machine, Ring Machine, and Extruder Lines.  Employees were exposed to a continuous noise level that were equivalent to 89.2%, 73.9%, 92.8%, 72.8%, and 98.0% of the allowable dose of 100%, or 90 dBA.  These exposures, which were equivalent to an 8-hr TWA of 89.1 dBA, 87.8 dBA, 89.4 dBA, 87.7 dBA, and 89.8 dBA, respectively, exceeded the Action Level of 50%, or 85 dBA.  The sampling duration was 400 minutes, 440 minutes, 439 minutes, 439 minutes, and 439 minutes, respectively.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled time period.    Violation occurred on or about 2/14/12.

Issued

Mar 22, 2012

Abate by

May 3, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $1,365 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1):   In any workplace where respirators are necessary to protect the health of the employee or whenever respirators are required by the employer, the employer did not establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures:  a) Production Department  Spray Painting  The employer did not develop and implement a written respiratory protection program for employees required to wear respirators, such as but not limited to, 3M (Model #7502) negative pressure half mask respirator.  Condition noted on or about 2/3/12

Issued

Mar 22, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1):  The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee is fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace:  a) Production Department  Spray Painting  Employees, who were required to wear negative pressure half mask respirators, were not provided medical evaluations prior to the use of the respirator in the workplace.  Condition noted on or about 2/3/12.

Issued

Mar 22, 2012

Abate by

May 3, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(1):     The employer did not ensure that each employee was provided with effective training when employees were required to use respirators, and did not ensure that employees could demonstrate knowledge as required in (k)(1)(i)-(k)(1)(vii):    a) Production Department  Spray Painting    Employees, who were required to wear negative pressure half mask respirators, were not provided with effective training that was comprehensive and understandable.    Condition noted on or about 2/3/12.

Issued

Mar 22, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $1,365 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1):     The employer did not develop, implement, and maintain at each workplace, a written hazard communication program which at least describes how the criteria specified in paragraphs (f), (g), and (h) of this section for labels and other forms of warning, material safety data sheets, and employee information and training will be met:    a) Facility    A written Hazard Communication Program was not developed or implemented for employees exposed to hazardous chemicals such as, but not limited to, limestone, Stoddard solvent, talc, iron oxide fume, and manganese fume.  These hazardous chemicals are contained in products such as, but not limited to, Prime Lock Plus Alkyd Primer Sealer and Welding Fumes.    Condition noted on or about 2/3/12.

Issued

Mar 22, 2012

Abate by

May 3, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1):   Employers did not provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new physical or health hazard the employees have not previously been trained about is introduced into their work area. Information and training may be designed to cover categories of hazards (e.g., flammability, carcinogenicity) or specific chemicals. Chemical-specific information must always be available through labels and material safety datasheets:  a) Facility  Effective hazard communication training was not provided to employees exposed to hazardous chemicals in their work area such as, but not limited to, limestone, Stoddard solvent, talc, iron oxide fume, and manganese fume.  These hazardous chemicals are contained in products such as, but not limited to, Prime Lock Plus Alkyd Primer Sealer and Welding Fumes. Condition noted on or about 2/3/12.

Issued

Mar 22, 2012

Abate by

Apr 12, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2)(i):     Where the employer provided respirators for employees to use voluntarily, the employer did not provide the respirator users with the information contained in Appendix D to this section ("Information for Employees Using Respirators When Not Required Under the Standard");    a) Facility    The employer did not provide employees, voluntarily wearing filtering facepiece respirators, with the information contained in Appendix D of this section ("Information for Employees Using Respirators When Not Required Under the Standard").    Condition noted on or about 2/3/12.