OSHA Inspection: CONECSUS, LLC

Issued

Jan 10, 2013

Abate by

Feb 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $2,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(6): Qualitative fit tests were performed on negative pressure air-purifying respirators when the required fit factor was greater than 100:    This violation was discovered on October 24, 2012, when employees had been qualitatively fit tested on full facepiece respirators that required a fit factor of 500.

Issued

Jan 10, 2013

Abate by

Feb 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $4,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1018(e)(3)(ii): When initial, or subsequent monitoring for inorganic arsenic revealed employee exposure to be above the permissible exposure limit, monitoring was not repeated at least quarterly:    This violation was discovered on October 24, 2012, in the rotary furnace and kettle departments, where employees were exposed to arsenic at concentrations above the permissible exposure limit and the employer had not repeated monitoring at least quarterly.

Issued

Jan 10, 2013

Abate by

Feb 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(d)(6)(iii): Where the initial monitoring revealed that employee exposure to lead was above the permissible exposure limit, monitoring was not repeated at least quarterly and continued at the required frequency until at least two consecutive measurements taken at least 7 days apart were below the PEL and at or above the action level:    This violation was discovered on October 24, 2012, in the shipping, maintenance, vacuum distillation unit, rotary furnace, wastewater treatment, and kettle departments, where employees were exposed to lead at concentrations above the permissible exposure limit and the employer had not repeated monitoring at least quarterly.

Issued

Jan 10, 2013

Abate by

Feb 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1027(d)(3)(i): When the initial monitoring or periodic monitoring revealed that employee exposures were at or above the action level or permissible exposure limit (PEL), the employer did not continue exposure monitoring at least every six months:    This violation was discovered on October 24, 2012, in the maintenance, rotary furnace, and kettle departments where employees were exposed to cadmium at concentrations above the permissible exposure limit and the employer had not repeated monitoring at least semiannually.

Issued

Jan 10, 2013

Abate by

Feb 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $4,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1018(g)(1)(i): Engineering and work practice controls were not instituted to reduce inorganic arsenic exposure to or below the permissible exposure limit:    This violation was discovered on October 24, 2012, when the employer had not implemented engineering and work practice controls to reduce employee exposure to arsenic to or below the permissible exposure limit.  A rotary furnace operator was exposed to arsenic at an 8-hour TWA concentration of 13 micrograms per cubic meter of air (ug/m3), approximately 1.3 times the permissible exposure limit of 10 ug/m3.  Sampling was performed for 468 minutes during one shift.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of 12 minutes.

Issued

Jan 10, 2013

Abate by

Feb 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(e)(1)(i): Engineering and work practice controls (including administrative controls) were not implemented to reduce and maintain employee exposure to lead in accordance with the schedule in Table I of this paragraph:    This violation was discovered on October 24, 2012, when the employer had not implemented engineering and work practice controls to reduce employee exposure to lead to or below the permissible exposure limit:    a) A maintenance worker was exposed to lead at an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) concentration of 150 micrograms per cubic meter of air (ug/m3), approximately 3 times the permissible exposure limit of 50 ug/m3.  Sampling was performed for 441 minutes during one shift.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of 39 minutes.    b) A vacuum distillation unit operator was exposed to lead at an 8-hour TWA concentration of 81 ug/m3, approximately 1.6 times the permissible exposure limit of 50 ug/m3.  Sampling was performed for 464 minutes during one shift.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of 16 minutes.    c) A rotary furnace operator was exposed to lead at an 8-hour TWA concentration of 110 ug/m3, approximately 2.2 times the permissible exposure limit of 50 ug/m3.  Sampling was performed for 474 minutes during one shift.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of 6 minutes.    d) A rotary furnace operator was exposed to lead at an 8-hour TWA concentration of 480 ug/m3, approximately 9.6 times the permissible exposure limit of 50 ug/m3.  Sampling was performed for 468 minutes during one shift.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of 12 minutes.    e) A rotary furnace operator was exposed to lead at an 8-hour TWA concentration of 250 ug/m3, approximately 5 times the permissible exposure limit of 50 ug/m3.  Sampling was performed for 467 minutes during one shift.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of 13 minutes.    f) A wastewater treatment equipment operator was exposed to lead at an 8-hour TWA concentration of 94 ug/m3, approximately 1.9 times the permissible exposure limit of 50 ug/m3.  Sampling was performed for 462 minutes during one shift.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of 18 minutes.    g) A kettle operator was exposed to lead at a TWA concentration of 280 ug/m3, approximately 6 times the permissible exposure limit of 47 ug/m3.  Sampling was performed for 512 minutes during one shift.      h) A kettle operator was exposed to lead at a TWA concentration of 290 ug/m3, approximately 6.2 times the permissible exposure limit of 47 ug/m3.  Sampling was performed for 515 minutes during one shift.      i) A truck loader was exposed to lead at a TWA concentration of 150 ug/m3, approximately 3.1 times the permissible exposure limit of 48 ug/m3.  Sampling was performed for 505 minutes during one shift.