OSHA Inspection: PROFORM INDUSTRIES

Issued

Oct 5, 2012

Abate by

Nov 30, 2012

Penalty

Initial $3,600 · Current $1,800 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1):     The employer shall assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). If such hazards are present, or likely to be present, the employer shall:      a.  At the work site, employees fabricated small storage tanks using equipment that included (but was not limited to) welders, presses, breaks, acid baths and hand-held power tools.  The employer did not have a written job hazard assessment.

Issued

Oct 5, 2012

Abate by

Nov 4, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(f)(1):     The employer shall provide training to each employee who is required by this section to use PPE. Each such employee shall be trained to know at least the following:    a.  At the work site, employees fabricated small aluminum gasoline tanks and battery boxes while wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) that included, but was not limited to, eye protection, hearing protection, respiratory protection, hand protection, and clothing protection.  The employer had not provided training for employees who were required to wear PPE.

Issued

Oct 5, 2012

Abate by

Nov 30, 2012

Penalty

Initial $5,400 · Current $2,700 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 shall establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures. The program shall be updated as necessary to reflect those changes in workplace conditions that affect respirator use. The employer shall include in the program the following provisions of this section, as applicable.    a.  At the work place, employees fed aluminum gas tanks and battery boxes into an acid etching machine while wearing half-face respiratory protection.  The maintenance worker who serviced the machine and made repairs also wore respiratory protection when entering the machine.  The employer did not have a written respiratory protection program.

Issued

Oct 5, 2012

Abate by

Nov 30, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1):     General. The employer shall 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. The employer may discontinue an employee's medical evaluations when the employee is no longer required to use a respirator.    a.  At the work site, employees who operated and maintained an acid etch machine were required by the employer to wear half-face respirators.  The employer had not provided medical clearance for the employees prior to their use of the respirators.

Issued

Oct 5, 2012

Abate by

Nov 30, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f):     Fit testing. This paragraph requires that, before an employee may be required to use any respirator with a negative or positive pressure tight-fitting facepiece, the employee must be fit tested with the same make, model, style, and size of respirator that will be used. This paragraph specifies the kinds of fit tests allowed, the procedures for conducting them, and how the results of the fit tests must be used.    a.  At the work site, employees who operated and maintanined an acid etch machine were required by the employer to wear half-face respirators.  The employer had not provided fit testing for the employees prior to their use of the respirators.

Issued

Oct 5, 2012

Abate by

Nov 30, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k):     Training and information. This paragraph requires the employer to provide effective training to employees who are required to use respirators. The training must be comprehensive, understandable, and recur annually, and more often if necessary. This paragraph also requires the employer to provide the basic information on respirators in Appendix D of this section to employees who wear respirators when not required by this section or by the employer to do so.      a.  At the work site, employees who operated and maintained an acid etch machine were required by the employer to wear half-face respirators.  The employer had not provided fit testing for the employees prior to their use of the respirators.

Issued

Oct 5, 2012

Abate by

Nov 30, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4):     If the employer decides that its employees will enter permit spaces, the employer shall develop and implement a written permit space program that complies with this section. The written program shall be available for inspection by employees and their authorized representatives.    a.  At the work site, employees entered an etch line machine, a Hankel Surface Technologies HST B  PN 6000 9143, to perform emergency repairs and preventive maintenance.  The machine had signs posted at the entry and exit that it was a permit required confined space.  The employer did not have a written procedure for use by employees when entering the confined space.

Issued

Oct 5, 2012

Abate by

Nov 30, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(1):     Energy control program. The employer shall establish a program consisting of energy control procedures, employee training and periodic inspections to ensure that before any employee performs any servicing or maintenance on a machine or equipment where the unexpected energizing, startup or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the machine or equipment shall be isolated from the energy source and rendered inoperative.      a.  At the work site, employees performed emergency repairs and preventive maintenance on a used Hankel Surface Technologies HST B  PN 6000 9143 with multiple energy sources.  The employer did not have written procedures to ensure that all energy sources including (but not limited to) electricity, water, acids, pumps, mixing valves and ventilation fans were isolated prior to the employee entering the machine.

Issued

Oct 5, 2012

Abate by

Nov 4, 2012

Penalty

Initial $3,600 · Current $1,800 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1):     Employers shall 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, and which also includes the following:    a.  At the work site, employees were exposed to hazards that included, but were not limited to, fumes from welding aluminum and two acid etching tanks.  The employer did not have a written hazard communication program.

Issued

Oct 5, 2012

Abate by

Nov 30, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1):     Employers shall 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 data sheets.    a.  At the work site, employees were exposed to hazards that included, but were not limited to,  fumes from weldingaluminum and operating two acid etching tanks.  The employer did not provide employees with training about the hazards of the fumes and chemicals.

Issued

Oct 5, 2012

Abate by

Nov 30, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(2)(iii):   "Information." Employees shall be informed of:    The location and availability of the written hazard communication program, including the required list(s) of hazardous chemicals, and material safety data sheets required by this section.      a.  At the work site, employees were exposed to hazards that included, but were not limited to, fumes from welding aluminum and two acid etching tanks.  The employer did not provide education for employees about the location of the master list and material safety data sheets (MSDS) of hazardous chemicals present at the work site.