OSHA Inspection: RAIL CAR SERVICES, LLC

Issued

Aug 20, 2012

Abate by

Apr 1, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(c)(1):  Open-sided floor(s) or platform(s) 4 feet or more above the adjacent floor or ground level were not guarded by standard railings (or the equivalent as specified in 29 CFR 1910.23(e)(3)(i) through (v)), on all open sides:    Employees were exposed to injury from a fall hazard.  Employees were exposed to an 11 foot 4 inch fall hazard while on top of rail cars accessing the top port holes to gain entry into the rail cars and while sand blasting the top of the rail cars.  Employees were not provided with fall protection.    29 CFR 1903.19(c)(1) requires certification that the abatement of the above violation is complete.

Issued

Aug 20, 2012

Abate by

Oct 2, 2012

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $160 Reduced

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:    Employees were exposed to respiratory injury or illness in that the employer had not developed or implemented a written respiratory protection program for employees that are required to ware respirators.    29 CFR 1903.19(c)(1) requires certification that the abatement of the above violation is complete.

Issued

Aug 20, 2012

Abate by

Oct 2, 2012

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $160 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k):  The employer did not provide comprehensive, understandable training which did not occur annually and/or more often if necessary:    Employees were exposed to injury or illness from improper respirator use.  The employer had not provided employees that use respirators with training and information as required by this section.    29 CFR 1903.19(c)(1) requires certification that the abatement of the above violation is complete.

Issued

Aug 20, 2012

Abate by

Oct 2, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(1):  The employer did not evaluate the workplace to determine if any spaces were permit-required confined spaces:    Employees were exposed to injury while entering permit required confined spaces.  Employees were entering rail cars through the top man holes to conduct sand blasting operations.  The confined space had not been evaluated by the employer to determine whether it was a permit-required confined space.    29 CFR 1903.19(c)(1) requires certification that the abatement of the above violation is complete.

Issued

Aug 20, 2012

Abate by

Oct 2, 2012

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $160 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(2):  The employer did not 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:    Employees were exposed to injury from the hazards associated with permit-required confined space entry.  The employer had not posted signs or in any other way alerted employees of the existence and location of permit-required confined spaces such as rail cars that were enter through top port holes for sand blasting.      29 CFR 1903.19(c)(1) requires certification that the abatement of the above violation is complete.

Issued

Aug 20, 2012

Abate by

Apr 1, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4):  When the employer decided that its employees would enter permit spaces, the employer did not develop and implement a written permit space entry program that complied with 29 CFR 1910.146:    Employees were exposed to injury or illness while entering permit-required confined spaces in that the employer had not developed or implemented a written permit space entry program.  Employees entered rail cars through top entry port holes to preform sand blasting and other cleaning operations.      29 CFR 1903.19(c)(1) requires certification that the abatement of the above violation is complete.

Issued

Aug 20, 2012

Abate by

Apr 1, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(d)(5)(i):  Under the permit-required confined space program required by 29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4), the employer did not evaluate permit space conditions when entry operations were conducted by testing conditions in the permit space to determine if acceptable entry conditions existed before entry was authorized to begin:    Employees were exposed to injury or illness while entering permit-required confined spaces.  Employees entered rail cars through top entry port holes to gain access for sand blasting operations.  The employer had not performed an evaluation of the atmosphere inside the confined spaces to determine the presence of oxygen deficient, toxic or flammable atmospheres.    29 CFR 1903.19(c)(1) requires certification that the abatement of the above violation is complete.

Issued

Aug 20, 2012

Abate by

Apr 1, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(e)(1):   Before entry was authorized, the employer did not document the completion of measures required by 29 CFR 1910.146(d)(3) by preparing an entry permit:    Employees were exposed to injury or illness from the hazards associated with confined space entry.  Employees entered permit-required confined spaces, rail cars, through top entry port holes for sand blasting operations.  The employer did not ensure and document safe entry conditions by using an entry permit.    29 CFR 1903.19(c)(1) requires certification that the abatement of the above violation is complete.

Issued

Aug 20, 2012

Abate by

Apr 1, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(g)(1):  The employer did not provide training so that all employees whose work was regulated by 29 CFR 1910.146 (permit required confined spaces) acquired the understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary for the safe performance of the duties assigned under 29 CFR 1910.146:    Employees were exposed to injury or illness from the hazards associated with confined space entry.  Employees entered permit-required confined spaces, top entry rail cars, for sand blasting operations.  The employer had not provided training to recognize, evaluate, and control the hazards associated with confined space entry.    29 CFR 1903.19(c)(1) requires certification that the abatement of the above violation is complete.

Issued

Aug 20, 2012

Abate by

Oct 2, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.253(b)(4)(i):  Oxygen cylinders were stored near highly combustible material, especially oil and grease; or near reserve stocks of carbide and acetylene or other fuel-gas cylinders, or near other substance likely to cause or accelerate fire:    Employees were exposed to injury from a fire/explosion hazard.  Compressed gas cylinders of oxygen were stored adjacent to compressed gas cylinders of propane and were not separated by a fire barrier.    29 CFR 1903.19(c)(1) requires certification that the abatement of the above violation is complete.

Issued

Aug 20, 2012

Abate by

Oct 2, 2012

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $160 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1):  The employer did not develop, implement, and/or maintain at the workplace a written hazard communication program which describes how the criteria specified in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f), (g), and (h) will be met:    Employees were exposed to injury and illness from hazardous chemicals.  The employer had not developed or implemented a Hazard Communication Program to ensure that employees were made aware of the hazards associated with the chemicals with which they work.  Hazardous chemicals used in the facility included but were not limited to oxygen, propane, and silica sand.    29 CFR 1903.19(c)(1) requires certification that the abatement of the above violation is complete.

Issued

Aug 20, 2012

Abate by

Oct 2, 2012

Penalty

Initial $1,200 · Current $120 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1)(i):   The employer did not compile a list of the hazardous chemicals known to be present using a product identifier that was referenced on the appropriate safety data sheet:    Employees were exposed to injury and illness from hazardous chemicals.  The employer did not have a list of the hazardous chemicals used at the facility.    29 CFR 1903.19(c)(1) requires certification that the abatement of the above violation is complete.

Issued

Aug 20, 2012

Abate by

Oct 2, 2012

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $160 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8):  The employer shall maintain in the workplace copies of the required safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical, and shall ensure that they are readily accessible during each work shift to employees when they are in their work area(s):    Employees were exposed to injury and illness from hazardous chemicals.  The employer did not have materials safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals used in the facility.  Hazardous chemicals used by employees included but were not limited to oxygen, propane, and silica sand.    29 CFR 1903.19(c)(1) requires certification that the abatement of the above violation is complete.

Issued

Aug 20, 2012

Abate by

Oct 2, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1):  Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:    Employees were exposed to injury and illness from hazardous chemicals.  Employees had not been provided training to recognize, evaluate, and control exposure to hazardous chemicals.  Hazardous chemicals used in the facility included but were not limited to oxygen, propane, and silica sand.    29 CFR 1903.19(c)(1) requires certification that the abatement of the above violation is complete.