OSHA Inspection: ATLAS METAL & IRON CORPORATION

Issued

Nov 6, 2012

Abate by

Nov 24, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,295 · Current $1,147 Reduced

General-duty citation text

1910.242(b): Compressed air used for cleaning was not reduced to less than 30psi:     (a) Atlas Metal & Iron Corp. @ 1100 Umatilla St., Denver, CO 80204: On and before 8/27/12, the employer did not ensure that compressed air that was used for blowing off employees prior to break and at the end of shift was regulated to 30psi or less. Employees in the Wire Chop House used compressed air to blow off their Tyvek suits prior to break and at the end of shift. The compressed air measured at approximately 90psi. This condition exposed employees to flying debris and an embolism.

Issued

Nov 6, 2012

Abate by

May 1, 2013

Penalty

Initial $6,300 · Current $3,150 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(c): The employer did not ensure that employees exposed to Chromium (VI) were exposed to airborne concentrations to less than 5g/m3:     (a) Atlas Metal & Iron Corp. @ 1100 Umatilla St., Denver, CO 80204: On and before 8/27/12, the employer did not ensure that employee exposure to Chromium (VI) was below the PEL. An employee used a plasma torch to cut stainless steel. The employee was monitored for 227 minutes. The employee was exposed to 13.4g/m3or 2.7 times to Chromium (VI) PEL. This condition exposes employees to hazards including, but not limited to, nasal perforations, upper respiratory irritation, and cancer.

Issued

Nov 6, 2012

Abate by

Feb 7, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(e)(1): The employer did not establish a regulated area wherever an employees exposure to airborne concentration of Chromium (VI) is, or can reasonably be expected to be, in excess of the PEL:   	  (a) Atlas Metal & Iron Corp. @ 1100 Umatilla St., Denver, CO 80204: On and before 8/27/12, the employer did not establish a regulated area. An employee used a plasma torch to cut stainless steel metals in an area where previous employer sampling indicated employee exposure to Chromium (VI) was greater than the PEL. This condition exposes additional employees to respiratory hazards associated with Chromium (VI).

Issued

Nov 6, 2012

Abate by

Feb 7, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(f)(1)(i): The employer did not use engineering and work practice controls to reduce and maintain employee exposure to Chromium (VI) to or below the PEL:     (a) Atlas Metal & Iron Corp. @ 1100 Umatilla St., Denver, CO 80204: On and before 8/27/12, the employer did not utilize engineering or work practice controls to reduce employee exposure to Chromium (VI) to or below the PEL. An employee used a plasma torch to cut stainless steel metals. The work is completed outside, on the ground, and with a 42inch fan located behind the employee in an effort to push the fume away from the employees breathing zone. The methods used were not sufficient to reduce employee exposure to below the PEL. This condition exposes employees to respiratory hazards associated with exposure to Chromium (VI).     STEP 1: Effective respiratory protection shall be provided and used by exposed employees as an interim protective measure until feasible engineering and/or administrative controls can be implemented or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee exposure to within exposure limits.   STEP 1 ABATEMENT DATE: Completed    STEP 2: Submit to the Area Director a written detailed plan of abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measures to control employee exposures to the hazardous substance referenced in this citation. The plan shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the following actions which should be consistent with the dates required by this citation:     (a) Evaluation of the extent and location of the hazard source;  (b) Evaluation of control measure options;   (c) Selection of optimum control measures;   (d) Determination of control measure design;   (e) Ordering and delivery of equipment;   (f) Installation of control measures;   (g) Training of employees in proper operation and maintenance of newly implemented control measures; and   (h) Assurance of the effective performance of control measures.     All proposed control measures shall be evaluated for each particular use by a competent Industrial Hygienist or other technically qualified person. Thirty (30) day progress reports are required during the abatement period. The progress report must identify the action taken to achieve abatement and the date the action was taken.   STEP 2 ABATEMENT DATE (60 DAYS): INSERT DATE     STEP 3: Abatement will be completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls and upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.   STEP 3 ABATEMENT DATE (90 DAYS): INSERT DATE

Issued

Nov 6, 2012

Abate by

Nov 30, 2012

Penalty

Initial $4,590 · Current $2,295 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(i)(3)(ii): The employer did not ensure that employees who have skin contact with Chromium (VI) wash their hands and faces at the end of the work shift and prior to eating, drinking, smoking, chewing tobacco or gum, applying cosmetics, or using the toilet:     (a) Atlas Metal & Iron Corp. @ 1100 Umatilla St., Denver, CO 80204: On and before 8/27/12, the employer did not establish and implement methods to ensure that employees who had contact with Chromium (VI) were properly washed in accordance with the above standard.

Issued

Nov 6, 2012

Abate by

Nov 30, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(i)(4)(i): The employer did not ensure that eating and drinking surfaces were maintained as free as practicable of Chromium (VI):     (a) Atlas Metal & Iron Corp. @ 1100 Umatilla St., Denver, CO 80204: On and before 8/27/12, the employer did not ensure that eating surfaces were free from Chromium (VI). Wipe samples taken from the break room tables were found to contain measurable quantities of Chromium (VI), which exposed employees to ingestion of the chemical.

Issued

Nov 6, 2012

Abate by

Nov 30, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(i)(4)(ii): The employer did not ensure that employees entered eating and drinking areas with protective work clothing that was free from Chromium (VI):     (a) Atlas Metal & Iron Corp. @ 1100 Umatilla St., Denver, CO 80204: On and before 8/27/12, the employer did not establish and implement methods to ensure that employees doffed protective clothing that was contaminated with Chromium (VI) prior to entering the break room. This condition exposed employees to ingesting and/or inhaling the chemical.

Issued

Nov 6, 2012

Abate by

Nov 30, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(i)(2): The employer did not ensure that change rooms were equipped with separate storage facilities for protective clothing and equipment and for street cloths, and that these facilities prevented cross-contamination:     (a) Atlas Metal & Iron Corp. @ 1100 Umatilla St., Denver, CO 80204: On and before 8/27/12, the employer did not establish and implement methods to ensure employees street clothing were not cross contaminated with clothing/equipment that was worn while exposed to Chromium (VI). Employees stored personal items and employer-issued items in the same locker. This condition exposed employees to inhalation hazards during donning personal clothing.

Issued

Nov 6, 2012

Abate by

Nov 24, 2012

Penalty

Initial $3,060 · Current $1,530 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(k)(1)(i)(A): The employer did not make medical surveillance available to employees who were expected to be occupationally exposed to Chromium (VI) at or above the action level for 30 or more days a year:     (a) Atlas Metal & Iron Corp. @ 1100 Umatilla St., Denver, CO 80204: On and before 8/27/12, the employer did not provide medical surveillance to the employee who used a plasma torch to cut stainless steel. The employee was exposed to Chromium (VI) in excess of the PEL. It was expected that employees are exposed to Chromium (VI) in excess of 30 days in a year.

Issued

Nov 6, 2012

Abate by

Nov 24, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(g)(1)(i)(A): Respirators with tight-fitting facepieces were worn by employees who had facial hair that came between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interfered with valve function:    (a) Atlas Metal & Iron Corp. @ 1100 Umatilla St., Denver, CO 80204: On and before 8/27/12, the employer did not ensure that employees in the Wire Chop House were clean shaven. Employees were required to wear 3M, 7503 Series, half-face, tight-fitting, air purifying respirators equipped with P100 cartridges