OSHA Inspection: RUCH CARBIDE BURS, INC.

Issued

Sep 28, 2012

Abate by

Oct 13, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,975 · Current $2,975

Hazardous substances 0720

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.141(g)(2):     Employees were permitted to consume food or beverage in area(s) exposed to toxic materials:    a) Hand Grinding Area: An employee, Hand Grinder, while sharpening tungsten carbide burs with a table mounted hand grinder, was exposed to cobalt dust above the OSHA permissible exposure limit.  The employee was permitted to eat, drink and smoke cigarettes at their work station where dust was present on both the work surface and on the employee's hands, on or about 7/25/2012.    Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date.  The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Sep 28, 2012

Abate by

Feb 28, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0720

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2):     An employee was exposed to an airborne concentration of cobalt listed in Table Z-1 in excess of the 8 hour Time Weighted Average concentration of 0.100 milligrams per cubic meter of air:    a) Hand Grinding Area: An employee, Hand Grinder, while sharpening tungsten carbide burs with a hand grinder, was exposed Cobalt Dust at an 8 hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 0.444 milligrams per cubic meter of air of cobalt. This level is 4.44 times the permissible exposure limit of 0.100 milligrams per cubic meter of air. This exposure occurred over a 448 minute sampling period on 7/25/2012. A zero exposure is assumed for the 32 minutes not sampled.    Abatement certification and documentation required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.  Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photograph or video evidence of abatement or other written records.

Issued

Sep 28, 2012

Abate by

Feb 28, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0720

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) Hand Grinding Area: An employee, Hand Grinder, while sharpening tungsten carbide burs with a hand grinder, was exposed to Cobalt Dust at an 8 hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 0.444 milligrams per cubic meter of air. This level is 4.44 times the permissible exposure limit of 0.100 milligrams per cubic meter of air and occurred over a 448 minute sampling period on 7/25/2012. A zero exposure is assumed for the 32 minutes not sampled.  Engineering controls were not correctly implemented to reduce exposures to cobalt below the permissible exposure limit, on or about 7/25/2012.     Feasible abatement methods include but are not limited to:  1. Increasing the airflow to the localized ventilation on the hand grinder.  2. Install additional localized ventilation around the hand grinder.   3. Utilize work practice controls, if possible, to limit the amount of dust the escapes the ventilation, in addition to localized ventilation.    ABATEMENT STEPS ARE AS FOLLOW:    STEP 1 - As an interim measure, effective respiratory protection shall be provided to and used by exposed employees until feasible and/or administrative controls can be implemented or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee exposure to within permissible exposure limits.    STEP 2 - 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 dates required by this citation:    1.  Evaluation of engineering control options;    2.  Selection of optimum control method 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 evaluated for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person.    STEP 3 - Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.    Abatement certification and documentation required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.  Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photograph or video evidence of abatement or other written records.

Issued

Sep 28, 2012

Abate by

Oct 28, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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 where respirators are necessary to protect the health of the employee:    a) Hand Grinding Area: An employee, Hand Grinder, while sharpening tungsten carbide burs with a hand grinder, was exposed to Cobalt Dust at an 8 hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 0.444 milligrams per cubic meter of air. This level is 4.44 times the permissible exposure limit of 0.100 milligrams per cubic meter of air. The employer did not establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures for employees who were exposed to cobalt above the permissible exposure limit, on or about 07/25/2012.    Abatement certification and documentation required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.  Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photograph or video evidence of abatement or other written records.

Issued

Sep 28, 2012

Abate by

Nov 13, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0720

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(l)(2)(iii):     Proper respirator use under the workplace conditions encountered by the employee was not included in the assessment of program effectiveness:    a) Hand Grinding Area: An employee, Hand Grinder, was exposed to cobalt above the permissible exposure limit while sharpening tungsten carbide burs and the employee was wearing a 3M N95 filtering face piece incorrectly.  A workplace assessment was not performed to address and correct improper use of respirators, on or about 07/25/2012.    Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date.  The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Sep 28, 2012

Penalty

Initial $1,517 · Current $1,517

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(d)(1):     Pulley(s) with part(s) seven feet or less from the floor or work platform were not guarded in accordance with the requirements specified in 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o):    a) Hand Grinding Area: An Employee, Hand Grinder, while sharpening tungsten carbide burs was exposed to an unguarded pulley located on the belt-driven motor of the hand grinder, on or about 7/24/2012.     No abatement certification or documentation required.

Issued

Sep 28, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(e)(3)(i):     Vertical or inclined belt(s) were not enclosed by guard(s) conforming to the requirements specified at 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o):    a) Hand Grinding Area: An Employee, Hand Grinder, while sharpening tungsten carbide burs was exposed to an unguarded belt on the belt-driven motor of the hand grinder, on or about 7/24/2012.     No abatement certification or documentation required.