OSHA Inspection: KIEFER INDUSTRIES INC.

Issued

Dec 10, 2012

Abate by

Jan 16, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,700 · Current $1,020 Reduced

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 metal polishing area, a hearing conservation program was not administered for a metal polisher who was exposed to continuous noise at a level of 75.9% of the permissible 8 hour time weighted average noise exposure, or an equivalent noise level of 88 dBA as an 8-hour time weighted average equivalent.  This exposure was determined by two (2)  noise samples taken on an employee over a 420 minute period during one workshift on 11/20/12. Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled 60 minutes of an eight hour workshift.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.

Issued

Dec 10, 2012

Abate by

Jan 9, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,700 · Current $1,020 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.151(c):     Where employees were exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body were not provided within the work area for immediate emergency use:    a) On 8/15/12, access to the eyewash station was blocked by material storage.    b) On 8/15/12, the eyewash station was not maintained in a clean condition.    ABATEMENT CERTIFCATION AND ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.

Issued

Dec 10, 2012

Penalty

Initial $1,700 · Current $1,020 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(d)(1):     The employer with a workplace or work operation covered by this standard did not determine the 8-hour time-weighted average exposure for each employee exposed to chromium (VI):    a) In the stainless steel welding area, workers who were TIG welding stainless steel components containing up to 16% chrome, had not been monitored for Chrome (VI) exposure.    NO ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION OR ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.

Issued

Dec 10, 2012

Abate by

Jan 12, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(l)(1)(i):     Chemical manufacturers, importers, distributors and employers shall comply with all requirements of the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) ( 1910.1200) for chromium (VI):    a) The company's chemical hazard communication program did not address the hazards of Hexavalent Chromium exposure.  Employees were involved with welding of metals bearing 16% chrome.    ABATEMENT CERTIDICATION AND ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.

Issued

Dec 10, 2012

Abate by

Jan 9, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,360 · Current $816 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8):     The employer did not ensure that material safety data sheets were readily accessible to the employees in their work area during each work shift:    a) On 8/15/12, a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for stainless steel was not readily accessible or maintained in the workplace.     b) On 8/15/12, an MSDS for Walter Solfox-H was not readily accessible or maintained in the workplace.     c) On 8/15/12, an MSDS for Walter Solfox-N was not readily accessible or maintained in the workplace.     d) On 8/15/12, an MSDS for Hydrite R inhibitor was not readily accessible or maintained in the workplace.    e) On 8/15/12, an MSDS for Sherwin Williams NEW spray paint was not readily accessible or maintained in the workplace.    f) On 8/15/12, an MSDS for Garnet was not readily accessible or maintained in the workplace.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND ABATEMENT DOCUMENTAION REQUIRED.

Issued

Dec 10, 2012

Abate by

Jan 12, 2013

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) An employee in the polishing area, and exposed to metal dusts, had not been informed of the details of the company's chemical hazard communication upon hiring.    b) An employee in the polishing area, and exposed to metal dusts, had not been trained as required by this paragraph, at the time of hiring, on the hazards of the chemicals to which there was exposure, and to the means to protect himself against those hazards.    ABATEMENT DOCUMENTATION AND ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED.

Issued

Dec 10, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.141(a)(3)(i):     All places of employment shall be kept clean to the extent that the nature of the work allows:    a) The restroom for the production area had mold growth on the walls.    NO ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION OR DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.

Issued

Dec 10, 2012

Abate by

Dec 28, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.141(d)(1):     Washing facilities were not maintained in a sanitary condition:    a) The wash sinks at the east wall of the shop were not maintained in a sanitary condition.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.