OSHA Inspection: LHV PRECAST INC.

Issued

Jun 18, 2012

Abate by

Jul 3, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,640 · Current $1,500 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 was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to fall hazards:     (a) On or about March 26, 2012, in the production facility, for a worker standing on top of a drainage manhole prying the forms loose from the walls using a pry bar, without fall protection. The manhole was 7 feet, 9 inches tall with a wall thickness of 8 inches.       (b) On or about March 26, 2012, in the production facility, for a worker standing on top of a drainage manhole that was 7 feet, 9 inches tall, connecting the forms with chains to the overhead crane.    (c) On or about March 26, 2012, in the production facility, for a worker using a blue fiberglass A-Frame ladder as an extension ladder. The ladder was leaned next to the drainage manhole to allow access to the top.

Issued

Jun 18, 2012

Abate by

Jul 18, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,640 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(c)(1): Every open-sided floor or platform 4 feet or more above adjacent floor or ground level was not guarded by a standard railing (or the equivalent as specified in paragraph (e)(3) of this section) on all open sides and railings were not provided with a toeboard where required:    (a) On or about April 10, 2012, in the batch plant, there was a metal hammer sitting on the three wooden planks that extended from the platform near the turbine mixer. There were no toeboards provided to prevent the hammer from falling below and hitting a worker walking under the platform.     (b) On or about April 10, 2012, in the batch plant, the landing at the descending side of the stair landing, was not protected with a standard railing.    (c) On or about April 12, 2012, in the batch plant, there were gaps and/or openings in the railing that surrounded the platform around the mixer.    (d) On or about April 12, 2012, in the batch plant, the top railing around the mixer platform was only 36" high with a mid-rail of 18" high. This railing does not meeting the definition of a standard railing.    (e) On or about April 12, 2012, in the batch plant, the top railing and mid-railing were damaged in the area overlooking the production facility.     (f) On or about April 12, 2012, in the batch plant, there were no toeboards provided around the mixer platform.

Issued

Jun 18, 2012

Abate by

Jul 3, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(d)(1)(iii): Stairway(s) less than 44 inches wide having both sides open, did not have one stair railing on each side:      (a)  On or about March 26, 2012, in the batch plant, there was no railing on the ascending side of this stairs leading up to the batch plant.

Issued

Jun 18, 2012

Abate by

Jul 3, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,640 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.133(a)(1): The employer did not ensure that each affected employee used appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation:    (a) On or about April 10, 2012, in the yard, for an employee wearing safety glasses, while using a 7" grinder to grind imperfections off the surfaces of Stone Strong Blocks. Adequate protection for both the face and eyes from flying pieces of concrete would be a full face shield.    (b) On or about April 10, 2012, in the batch plant, for an employee wearing safety glasses, while using an air chisel to remove concrete from the inside of the turbine mixer. Adequate protection for both the face and eyes from flying pieces of concrete would be a full face shield.

Issued

Jun 18, 2012

Abate by

Jul 18, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,620 · Current $1,500 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1): A written respiratory protection program that included the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix) with worksite specific procedures was not established and implemented for required respirator use:      (a) On or about April 10, 2012, for a worker wearing a 3M 8511 disposable dust mask while dry grinding with a hand held grinder, the imperfections on Stone Strong Retaining Wall Blocks. Air sampling conducted on this date for 104 minutes, showed that the worker was exposed to 2.6 mg/m3 of crystalline quartz silica an eight hour time weighted average. The permissible exposure limit was .714 mg/m3. Zero exposure was assumed for 376 minutes, the time not sampled.

Issued

Jun 18, 2012

Abate by

Aug 2, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(c): An employee(s) was exposed to crystalline quartz silica in excess of the 8-hour time weighted average limits of .714 mg/m3 listed in Table Z-3:      (a) On or about April 10, 2012, in the yard, for an employee using a Hitachi hand held grinder to grind off the imperfections on Stone Strong Retaining Wall Blocks. Air sampling was conducted on April 10, 2012, for 104 minutes, while the worker was performing this work and moving equipment in the yard. This sampling showed that the employee was exposed to 2.6 mg/m3 of crystalline quartz silica as an eight hour time weighted average or 3.67 times the permissible exposure limit. The 8 hour permissible exposure limit was .714 mg/m3. Zero exposure was assumed for 376 minutes.       ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION IS REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM.    Abatement will be multi-step as follows:    Step 1: Effective respiratory protection shall be provided and used by the exposed employee as an interim measure until feasible engineering/and or administrative controls can be implemented or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee exposure to within the permissible exposure limit.    Step 2: Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.

Issued

Jun 18, 2012

Abate by

Aug 2, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9010

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):      (a)On April 10, 2012, in the yard, for a worker using a hand held grinder to grind imperfections off the surfaces of Stone Strong Retaining Wall Blocks. Air sampling was conducted on April 10, 2012, for 104 minutes, showed that the worker was exposed to 2.6 mg/m3 of crystalline quartz silica.  The permissible exposure limit was .714 mg/m3. Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled time of 376 minutes.    Feasible engineering controls include but are not limited to the following:    Repair the damaged forms, thereby, eliminating the need to perform this work  Purchase a hand held grinder equipped with a dust collection system      ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION IS REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM.    Abatement will be multi-step as follows:    Step 1: Effective respiratory protection shall be provided and used by the exposed employee in the interim until feasible engineering and/or administrative controls can be implemented, or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee exposure to within the permissible exposure limit.    Step 2: Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.

Issued

Jun 18, 2012

Abate by

Jul 3, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,620 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(5)(i): The employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged or marked with the identity of the hazardous chemical(s) contained therein:      (a) On or about April 10, 2012, in the yard outside the entrance to the production facility, the two (275) gallon tanks of k-1 Kerosene were not labeled.

Issued

Jun 18, 2012

Abate by

Jul 3, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(5)(ii): The employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged or marked with the appropriate hazard warnings:    (a) On or about April 10, 2012, in the yard near the entrance to the production facility, the two (275) gallon tanks of k-1 kerosene were not labeled with the appropriate hazard warnings.

Issued

Jun 18, 2012

Abate by

Jul 18, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h): Employees were not provided effective information and training as specified in 29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(2) and (h)(2) on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard was introduced in their work area:     (a) On or about April 10, 2012, in the facility, for employees exposed to hazardous materials such as k-1 kerosene, Lafarge Blended Cement containing Portland Cement, Powdered Diversified Microsilica Concrete Admixture, sand and stone while manufacturing precast products.

Issued

Jun 18, 2012

Abate by

Jul 3, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2)(i): Respirator users were not provided with the information contained in Appendix D to 29 CFR 1910.134 when the employer determined that any voluntary respirator use was permissible:      (a)On or about April 10, 2012, in the batch plant, for a worker wearing a 3M N95 8511 dust mask while cleaning out the mixer.     (b) On or about April 10, 2012, in the batch plant, for workers picking up bags of microsilica admixture while wearing 3M N95 8511 dust masks.

Issued

Jun 18, 2012

Abate by

Jul 3, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(b)(2): Listed or labeled electrical equipment was not used or installed in accordance with instructions included in the listing or labeling:      (a) On or about April 10, 2012, in the main production area near the picnic table, a power strip was connected to an extension cord that was attached to the wall with nails, to power the time clock. Power strips must be directly plugged into the outlet to be incompliance with the Underwriter's Laboratories Listing.