OSHA Inspection: COL-PUMP COMPANY, INC

Issued

Dec 28, 2012

Abate by

Jan 18, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $1,750 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.27(f):     All ladders shall be maintained in a safe condition. All ladders shall be inspected regularly, with the intervals between inspections being determined by use and exposure:    On and before September 14, 2012, employees were permitted to utilize a fixed ladder on the sand tank with visible damage to its rails and rungs.

Issued

Dec 28, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,380 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(o)(1)(i)(a):     All guards shall be rigidly braced every three (3) feet or fractional part of their height to some fixed part of machinery or building structure. Where guard is exposed to contact with moving equipment additional strength may be necessary:    On or about September 14, 2012, a guard intended to block chains and sprockets on Pep Set I in the core area was not affixed to the machinery.

Issued

Dec 28, 2012

Abate by

Jan 31, 2013

Penalty

Initial $44,000 · Current $17,250 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(5)(i):     The employer did not establish, within 6 months of an employee's first exposure at or above the action level, a valid baseline audiogram against which subsequent audiograms can be compared:    a. On October 11, 2012, a dosimeter (sn: NLI120008) was placed on an employee working in the grinding room for a total of 435 minutes. The employee was exposed to noise at 271.1% of the permissible daily noise exposure level, with an equivalent time-weighted average sound level of 96.4 dBA. Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 45 minutes not sampled.     b. On October 11, 2012, a dosimeter (sn: NLI110145) was placed on an employee working in the grinding room for a total of 433 minutes. The employee was exposed to noise at 687.6% of the permissible daily noise exposure level, with an equivalent time-weighted average sound level of 103.1 dBA. Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 47 minutes not sampled.     c. On October 11, 2012, a dosimeter (sn: NLH090055) was placed on an employee working in the grinding room for a total of 436 minutes. The employee was exposed to noise at 371.5% of the permissible daily noise exposure level, with an equivalent time-weighted average sound level of 98.7 dBA. Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 44 minutes not sampled.     d. On October 11, 2012, a dosimeter (sn: NLH090056) was placed on an employee working in the core room for a total of 434 minutes. The employee was exposed to noise at 60.79% of the permissible daily noise exposure level, with an equivalent time-weighted average sound level of 85.6 dBA. Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 47 minutes not sampled.     On and before September 14, 2012, company employees exposed to noise at or above the action level of 85 decibels were not given a baseline audiogram within six months of their initial exposure.

Issued

Dec 28, 2012

Abate by

Jan 18, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(6):     At least annually after obtaining the baseline audiogram, the employer did not obtain a new audiogram for each employee exposed at or above an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels:    a. On October 11, 2012, a dosimeter (sn: NLI120008) was placed on an employee working in the grinding room for a total of 435 minutes. The employee was exposed to noise at 271.1% of the permissible daily noise exposure level, with an equivalent time-weighted average sound level of 96.4 dBA. Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 45 minutes not sampled.     b. On October 11, 2012, a dosimeter (sn: NLI110145) was placed on an employee working in the grinding room for a total of 433 minutes. The employee was exposed to noise at 687.6% of the permissible daily noise exposure level, with an equivalent time-weighted average sound level of 103.1 dBA. Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 47 minutes not sampled.     c. On October 11, 2012, a dosimeter (sn: NLH090055) was placed on an employee working in the grinding room for a total of 436 minutes. The employee was exposed to noise at 371.5% of the permissible daily noise exposure level, with an equivalent time-weighted average sound level of 98.7 dBA. Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 44 minutes not sampled.     d. On October 11, 2012, a dosimeter (sn: NLH090056) was placed on an employee working in the core room for a total of 434 minutes. The employee was exposed to noise at 60.79% of the permissible daily noise exposure level, with an equivalent time-weighted average sound level of 85.6 dBA. Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 47 minutes not sampled.    On and before September 14, 2012, company employees exposed to noise at or above the action level of 85 decibels were not given annual audiograms.

Issued

Dec 28, 2012

Abate by

Jan 31, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $3,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(b)(1):     When employees were subjected to sound exceeding those listed in Table G-16, feasible administrative or engineering controls were not utilized:    a. On October 11, 2012, a dosimeter (sn: NLI120008) was placed on an employee working in the grinding room for a total of 435 minutes. The employee was exposed to noise at 271.1% of the permissible daily noise exposure level, with an equivalent dBA of 96.4. Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 45 minutes not sampled.    b. On October 11, 2012, a dosimeter (sn: NLI110145) was placed on an employee working in the grinding room for a total of 433 minutes. The employee was exposed to noise at 687.6% of the permissible daily exposure level, with an equivalent dBA of 103.1 dBA. Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 47 minutes not sampled.    c. On October 11, 2012, a dosimeter (sn: NLH090055) was placed on an employee working in the grinding room for a total of 436 minutes. The employee was exposed to noise at 371.5% of the permissible daily exposure level, with an equivalent dBA of 98.7 dBA. Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 44 minutes not sampled.    Controls usually applicable in these circumstances include but are not limited to:  1. Installation of mufflers on the grinders to reduce noise from the exhaust ports  2. Replacement of air powered grinders with electric powered tools  3. Separation of workers by distance or through the use of partitions and  soundproofing surfaces so that employees do not receive noise from adjacent workers    Step 1: Submit to the Area Director a written detailed plan of abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measure to control employee exposure to noise 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    Step 2: All Proposed control measures shall be evaluated for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person. Thirty day progress reports are required during the abatement period. Abatement must be completed by 30 days.    Step 3: Abatement should be completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls. Verification must be provided, and should include noise monitoring results showing levels of noise below the permissible exposure limit. Abatement must be completed by 60 days.    COL-Pump Company, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of occupational safety and health standard 1910.95(b)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 312622103, citation 01, item number 001, and was affirmed as final order on 9/22/2009, with respect to a workplace located at 131 E. Railroad Street, Columbiana, OH 44408.