OSHA Inspection: QUALITY STONE VENEER, INC.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Mar 3, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,950 · Current $3,713 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1):     The employer did not establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures when respirators were necessary to protect the health of the employee(s):    a) Quality Stone Veneer, Tower City, PA:  An employee, Mold Painter and Paint Mixer, was exposed to particulate not otherwise regulated (PNOR) at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 16.358 milligrams per cubic meter of air, approximately 1.1 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air.  Sampling was performed for 438 minutes on November 6, 2012.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.  The employer did not establish and implement a written respiratory protection program when respirators were necessary to protect the health of employees.    b) Quality Stone Veneer, Tower City, PA:  An employee, Stone Puller, was exposed to particulate not otherwise regulated (PNOR) at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 23.972 milligrams per cubic meter of air, approximately 1.6 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air.  Sampling was performed for 371 minutes on November 6, 2012.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.  The employer did not establish and implement a written respiratory protection program when respirators were necessary to protect the health of employees.    c) Quality Stone Veneer, Tower City, PA:  An employee, Cement Mixer Operator and Mold Filler/Pusher, was exposed to particulate not otherwise regulated (PNOR) at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 18.196 milligrams per cubic meter of air, approximately 1.2 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air.  Sampling was performed for 424 minutes on November 6, 2012.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.  The employer did not establish and implement a written respiratory protection program when respirators were necessary to protect the health of employees.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED       ABATEMENT NOTE:    The written respiratory protection program should include the following, as applicable:    1. The procedures for selecting respirators for use in the workplace;    2. Medical evaluations of employees required to use respirators;    3. Fit testing procedures for tight fitting respirators;    4. Procedures for proper use of respirators in routine and reasonably foreseeable emergency situations;    5. Procedures and schedules for cleaning, disinfecting, storing, inspecting, repairing, discarding, and otherwise maintaining respirators;    6. Procedures to ensure adequate air quality, quantity, and flow of breathing air for atmosphere-supplying respirators;    7. Training of employees in the respiratory hazards to which they are potentially exposed during routine and emergency situations;     8. Training of employees in the proper use of respirators, including putting on and removing them, any limitations on their use, and their maintenance; and    9. Procedures for regularly evaluating the effectiveness of the program.

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

May 2, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2):     Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of particulate not otherwise regulated (PNOR), listed in Table Z-1, in excess of the allowable 8 hour Time Weighted Average concentration of 15 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3):    a) Quality Stone Veneer, Tower City, PA:  An employee, Mold Painter and Paint Mixer, was exposed to particulate not otherwise regulated (PNOR) at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 16.358 milligrams per cubic meter of air, approximately 1.1 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air.  Sampling was performed for 438 minutes on November 6, 2012.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.    b) Quality Stone Veneer, Tower City, PA:  An employee, Stone Puller, was exposed to particulate not otherwise regulated (PNOR) at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 23.972 milligrams per cubic meter of air, approximately 1.6 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air.  Sampling was performed for 371 minutes on November 6, 2012.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.      c) Quality Stone Veneer, Tower City, PA:  An employee, Cement Mixer Operator and Mold Filler/Pusher, was exposed to particulate not otherwise regulated (PNOR) at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 18.196 milligrams per cubic meter of air, approximately 1.2 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air.  Sampling was performed for 424 minutes on November 6, 2012.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.      ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Mar 3, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

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) Quality Stone Veneer, Tower City, PA:  An employee, Mold Painter and Paint Mixer, was exposed to particulate not otherwise regulated (PNOR) at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 16.358 milligrams per cubic meter of air, approximately 1.1 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air.  Sampling was performed for 438 minutes on November 6, 2012.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.  The employer did not implement feasible administrative and/or engineering controls to reduce employee exposure levels to below the Permissible Exposure Limit for PNOR.    b) Quality Stone Veneer, Tower City, PA:  An employee, Stone Puller, was exposed to particulate not otherwise regulated (PNOR) at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 23.972 milligrams per cubic meter of air, approximately 1.6 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air.  Sampling was performed for 371 minutes on November 6, 2012.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.  The employer did not implement feasible administrative and/or engineering controls to reduce employee exposure levels to below the Permissible Exposure Limit for PNOR.    c) Quality Stone Veneer, Tower City, PA:  An employee, Cement Mixer Operator and Mold Filler/Pusher, was exposed to particulate not otherwise regulated (PNOR) at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 18.196 milligrams per cubic meter of air, approximately 1.2 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air.  Sampling was performed for 424 minutes on November 6, 2012.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.  The employer did not implement feasible administrative and/or engineering controls to reduce employee exposure levels to below the Permissible Exposure Limit for PNOR.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED      GENERAL METHODS OF CONTROL APPLICABLE IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:    - Utilize wet methods to control dust at the cement mixer.  Mist water over the hopper as the sand, aggregate, and cement are added from the shale bin.    - Utilize local exhaust ventilation to control dust where molds are slammed down to loosen the stones and utilize the pulling machine to remove the stones from the molds.    - Keep containers of paint powders covered and only open the covers as wide as is needed to remove/transfer the paint powders.  Utilize local exhaust ventilation when mixing the paint powders.      Abatement Schedule:    Step 1.  Effective respiratory protection shall be provided to 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 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 abatement dates required by this citation:    (1)  Evaluation of engineering/administrative control options;  (2)  Selection of optimum control methods 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 approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person.  45-day progress reports are required during the abatement period.    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.    Date by which violation must be abated:  Step 1  00/00/00  Date by which violation must be abated:  Step 2  00/00/00  Date by which violation must be abated:  Step 3  00/00/00

Issued

Jan 29, 2013

Abate by

Mar 3, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1):     Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:    a) Quality Stone Veneer, Tower City, PA:  Employees were exposed to the hazardous chemical, silica dust, and the employer did not provide employees with hazard communication training specific to this substanance, on or about 9/6/2012.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED