OSHA Inspection: ALL GRANITE AND MARBLE CORPORATION

Issued

Jun 20, 2012

Penalty

Initial $9,240 · Current $4,620 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9010

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) An employee, polisher, was exposed to silica at an 8 hour time weighted average of 2.044 milligrams per cubic meter of air (mg/M3) while polishing countertops.  The employee was required to wear a negative pressure respirator and was not medically evaluated to determine his ability to wear the respirator without suffering adverse health effects, April 26, 2012.    (b) An employee, polisher, was exposed to silica at an 8 hour time weighted average of 0.896 milligrams per cubic meter of air (mg/M3) while polishing countertops.   The employee was required to wear a negative pressure respirator and was not medically evaluated to determine his ability to wear the respirator without suffering adverse health effects, April 26, 2012.    The All Granite and Marble Corporation was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard, 29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 315974402, citation number 1, item number 2A, and was affirmed as a final order on February 13, 2012, with respect to a workplace located at 82 Mill Plain Road, Danbury, CT.      "ABATEMENT OBSERVED DURING INSPECTION - NO CERTIFICATION REQUIRED"    Note:  The employer may discontinue an employee's medical evaluations when the employee is no longer required to use a respirator.

Issued

Jun 20, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2):     Employee(s) using tight-fitting facepiece respirators were not fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator:    (a) An employee, polisher, was exposed to silica at an 8 hour time weighted average of 2.044 milligrams per cubic meter of air (mg/M3) while polishing countertops and was required to wear a negative pressure respirator.  The employee did not have the fit of his respirator determined, April 26, 2012.    (b) An employee, polisher, was exposed to silica at an 8 hour time weighted average of 0.896 milligrams per cubic meter of air (mg/M3) while polishing countertops and was required to wear a negative pressure respirator.  The employee did not have the fit of his respirator determined,  April 26, 2012.    The All Granite and Marble Corporation was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard, 29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 315974402, citation number 1, item number 2B, and was affirmed as a final order on February 13, 2012, with respect to a workplace located at 82 Mill Plain Road, Danbury, CT.      "ABATEMENT OBSERVED DURING INSPECTION - NO CERTIFICATION REQUIRED"

Issued

Jun 20, 2012

Abate by

Sep 18, 2012

Penalty

Initial $9,240 · Current $4,620 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(c):     Employees were exposed to Silica, Crystalline Quartz, (respirable) in excess of the 8-hour time weighted average limit listed in Table Z-3:    (a) An employee, polisher, was exposed to silica at an 8 hour time weighted average of 2.044 milligrams per cubic meter of air (mg/M3) while polishing countertops.  The exposure was 2.86 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 0.714 mg/M3.  The PEL was established to prevent silicosis.  The exposure was established over 446 minutes of personal sampling conducted on April 26, 2012.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.    (b) An employee, polisher, was exposed to silica at an 8 hour time weighted average of 0.896 milligrams per cubic meter of air (mg/M3) while polishing countertops.  The exposure was 1.34 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 0.667 mg/M3.  The PEL was established to prevent silicosis.  The exposure was established over 448 minutes of personal sampling conducted on April 26, 2012.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.    The All Granite and Marble Corporation was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard, 29 CFR 1910.100(c), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 315974402, citation number 1, item number 3A, and was affirmed as a final order on February 13, 2012, with respect to a workplace located at 82 Mill Plain Road, Danbury, CT.      "ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED"

Issued

Jun 20, 2012

Abate by

Sep 18, 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) An employee, polisher, was exposed to silica at an 8 hour time weighted average of 2.044 milligrams per cubic meter of air (mg/M3) while polishing countertops.  Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not implemented to reduce the employees exposure, April 26, 2012.      (b) An employee, polisher, was exposed to silica at an 8 hour time weighted average of 0.896 milligrams per cubic meter of air (mg/M3) while polishing countertops.  Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not implemented to reduce the employees exposure, April 26, 2012.      The All Granite and Marble Corporation was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard, 29 CFR 1910.1000(e), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 315974402, citation number 1, item number 3B, and was affirmed as a final order on February 13, 2012, with respect to a workplace located at 82 Mill Plain Road, Danbury, CT.    "ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED"    General methods of control would include, but are not limited to the following:    1.  Install local exhaust ventilation at each polishing station.       2.  When polishing the interior perimeter of the sink hole, turn the countertop on a vertical axis so that employees can distance themselves from the discharge of the grinder.    3. Use wet polishing methods.        ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED      Abatement Schedule    Step 1 A written detailed plan of abatement shall be submitted to the Area Director outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measures to control employee exposures to hazardous substances as referenced 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;    (4)  Testing and acceptance or modification/redesign of controls.    All proposed control measures shall be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person.     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.      Date by Which Violation Must be Abated:    STEP - 1     (30 days)    Date by Which Violation Must be Abated:    STEP - 2     (90 days)

Issued

Jun 20, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(h)(1)(i):     Respirators issued for the exclusive use of an employee were not cleaned and disinfected as often as necessary to be maintained in a sanitary condition:    (a) A North 7700 respirator used by a polisher was observed to be visibly dirty and contain deposits on the interior surfaces, March 27, 2012.    "ABATEMENT OBSERVED DURING INSPECTION - NO CERTIFICATION REQUIRED"

Issued

Jun 20, 2012

Abate by

Jul 20, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(2):     If the workplace contains permit spaces, the employer shall inform exposed employees, by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means, of the existence and location of and the danger posed by the permit spaces.   NOTE: A sign reading DANGER -- PERMIT-REQUIRED CONFINED SPACE, DO NOT ENTER or using other similar language would satisfy the requirement for a sign.    (a) Wet saw area, a liquid filled sump in the floor had a metal grate cover.  The cover was not affixed to the floor to prevent unauthorized removal.  A sign, alerting employees to the potential danger of entering the sump was not posted.  A written employee policy outlining that no one should enter this sump was not implement, March 27, 2012.    "ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED"