OSHA Inspection: A.F.W. FOUNDRY, INC.

Issued

Jul 3, 2012

Abate by

Aug 15, 2012

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $1,750 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

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) In the Air Set Core Making Area, a worker making cores was expsosed to a cumulative noise dose of 73.9%, which exceeded the Action Level dose of 50%.  The 8 hour time weighted average equivalent dBA level of 73.9% is 88.0 dBA.  The noise monitoring test was performed for 445 minutes on 5/16/2012.  Zero exposure was assumed for the 35 minutes not sampled.    (b) In the Air Set Mold Making Area, a worker making molds was exposed to a cumulative noise dose of 76.5%, which exceeded the Action Level dose of 50%.  The 8 hour time weighted average equivalent dBA of 76.5% is 88.2 dBA.  The noise monitoring test was performed for 450 minutes on 5/16/2012.  Zero exposure was assumed for the 30 minutes not sampled.    (c) In the Shake Out area, a worker performing shakeout was exposed to a cumulative noise dose of 125.4%, which exceeded the Action Level of 50%.  The 8 hour time weighted average equivalent dBA of 125.4% is 91.6 dBA.  The noise monitoring test was performed for 455 minutes on 5/16/2012.  Zero exposure was assumed for the 25 minutes not sampled.    (d) In the Shake Out area, a worker performing shake out was exposed to a cumulative noise dose of 105.1%, which exceeded the Action Level of 50%.  The 8 hour time weighted average equivalent dBA of 105.1% is 90.3 dBA.  The noise monitoring test was performed for 460 minutes on 5/16/2012. Zero exposure was assumed for the 20 minutes not sampled.    (e) In the Brass Grinding area, a worker performing brass grinding was exposed to a cumulative noise dose of 98.3%, which exceeded the Action Level of 50%.  The 8 hour time weighted average equivalent of 98.3% is 89.7 dBA.  The noise monitoring test was performed for 470 minutes on 5/16/2012.  Zero exposure was assumed for the 10 minutes not sampled.

Issued

Jul 3, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(a)(3):     Exit route(s) were not kept free and unobstructed:    (a) In the Shipping and Receiving Area, and adjacent to the Air Set Core Making Area, access to an emergency exit door was partially blocked by a cart-mounted saw and pieces of wood.

Issued

Jul 3, 2012

Abate by

Jul 25, 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 was fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace:    (a) In the Brass Grinding Area, a grinder used a powered air purifying respirator, but had not been provided a medical evaluation regarding the worker's ability to use this type of respirator.

Issued

Jul 3, 2012

Abate by

Jul 25, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1):     The employer 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 had not previously been trained about was introduced into their work area:    (a) Prior to the OSHA inspection, some of the workers had not been provided effective information and training on the chemicals in their work area.  For example, some of the workers in the Brass Grinding Area had not been trained regarding the hazards of exposure to metal particulates and some of the workers in the Shakeout Area had not been trained on the hazards of exposure to crystalliine silica dust.