OSHA Inspection: QUEST VAPCO CORPORATION

Issued

Mar 18, 2013

Abate by

Mar 25, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,600 · Current $1,800 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1430A614

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:    In the aerosol mixing area, where employee(s) were adding corrosive chemicals to the mixing tank including, but not limited to, Aqua Ammonia 26BE (ammonium hydroxide solution (10% to 30%) and Hydrochloric Acid 20BE, facilities for quick flushing of the eyes and body in the event of a corrosive chemical splash were not provided for employees.

Issued

Mar 18, 2013

Abate by

Mar 25, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1052(i)(2): It was reasonably foreseeable that an employee's eyes may contact solutions containing 0.1 percent or greater methylene chloride and the employer did not provide appropriate eyewash facilities within the immediate work area for emergency use:    In the aerosol mixing area, where employee(s) were pumping 100% (w/w) methylene chloride into the mixing tank from 55-gallon drums, top-loading the tank with liquid and powdered chemicals, and performing tasks associated with waste management, facilities for quick flushing of the eyes were not provided within the immediate work area for emergency use by employees.

Issued

Mar 18, 2013

Abate by

Mar 25, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $2,250 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1052(c)(2): The employer did not ensure that no employee was exposed to an airborne concentration of methylene chloride in excess of 125 parts per million as determined over a sampling period of 15 minutes:    In the aerosol mixing area, where employee(s) were adding chemicals to the mixing tank including, but not limited to, methylene chloride, the Aerosol Mixer was exposed to an airborne concentration of 527.2588 ppm methylene chloride over a sampling period of fifteen minutes, which exceeded the Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL) of 125 ppm by a factor of 4.22.

Issued

Mar 18, 2013

Abate by

Mar 25, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1052(d)(2): The employer did not perform initial monitoring to determine each employee's exposure to methylene chloride:    (a) In the aerosol mixing area, where employee(s) were adding chemicals to the mixing tank including, but not limited to, methylene chloride, and performing tasks associated with waste management, initial exposure monitoring was not performed to determine the highest likely 15-minute exposure [Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL)] to methylene chloride for each affected employee. The Aerosol Mixer was exposed to an airborne concentration of 527.2588 ppm methylene chloride over a sampling period of 15 minutes, which exceeded the STEL of 125 ppm by a factor of 4.2.     (b) In the aerosol filling area, where employees were engaged in production of chemical aerosols containing methylene chloride, initial exposure monitoring was not performed to determine the highest likely 15-minute exposure (Short-Term Exposure Limit) to methylene chloride for each affected employee.

Issued

Mar 18, 2013

Abate by

Mar 25, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1052(f)(1): The employer did not institute and maintain the effectiveness of engineering controls and work practices to reduce employee exposure to or below the permissible exposure limits:    In the aerosol mixing area, the employer did not institute engineering and work practice controls where methylene chloride exposure for the Aerosol Mixer exceeded the Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL). The Aerosol Mixer was exposed to an airborne concentration of 527.2588 ppm methylene chloride over the 15-minute sampling period that included top loading of the mixing tank, exceeding the STEL of 125 ppm by a factor of 4.22.

Issued

Mar 18, 2013

Abate by

Mar 25, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1052(g)(3)(i): The employer did not select, and provide to employees, the appropriate atmosphere-supplying respirator specified in 29 CFR 1910.134(d)(3)(i)(A) and selected or used half masks:    In the aerosol mixing area, where methylene chloride exposure for the Aerosol Mixer exceeded the Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL), the employer provided an MSA half-facepiece air-purifying respirator with multi-gas/vapor/P100 particulate cartridges in lieu of a supplied air respirator. The Aerosol Mixer was exposed to an airborne concentration of 527.2588 ppm methylene chloride over the 15-minute sampling period that included top loading of the mixing tank, exceeding the STEL of 125 ppm by a factor of 4.22.

Issued

Mar 18, 2013

Abate by

Mar 25, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $2,250 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1052(l)(3): In addition to the information required under the Hazard Communication Standard at 29 CFR 1910.1200, the employer did not inform each affected employee of the requirements of this section and information available in its appendices, as well as how to access or obtain a copy of it in the workplace:    At the inspection site, where employees were using 100% methylene chloride while engaged in production of janitorial products, the employer did not inform each affected employee of the requirements in the Methylene Chloride standard, 29 CFR 1910.1052, the information available in its appendices,  and how to access or obtain a copy in the workplace.

Issued

Jan 10, 2013

Abate by

Jan 25, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,700 · Current $1,425 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(b)(1): Aisles and passageways were not kept clear and in good repair, with no obstruction across or in aisles that could create a hazard:  (a) In the Liquid Production area, hoses supplying liquids from mixing tanks or batch tanks to production equipment were creating a trip hazard for employees stepping over them to walk between tanks and equipment.   (b) Liquid mixing, hoses supplying liquids from portable containers to mixing tanks were creating a trip hazard for employees stepping over them while mixing chemicals.   (c) In Aerosol Production area, hoses supplying liquids from mixing tanks or totes to production equipment were creating a trip hazard for employees stepping over them to walk between tanks and equipment.   (d) In Aerosol Production, on the mixing platform for Terco-2 line used by employees for top loading tanks, the platform rim protruded 1.5 inches above grade in the walkway between the platform and top stairway riser, exposing employees to the hazards of tripping and falling down the stairs.

Issued

Jan 10, 2013

Abate by

Jan 17, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,700 · Current $1,425 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(a)(8): Every floor hole into which persons can accidentally walk was not guarded:  In the liquid mixing room, near the materials loading end of the tank platform where employees were top-loading tanks, there was an open floor hole in the back corner of the platform measuring 10 inches by 36 inches, exposing employees to the hazards of tripping and falling into the hole.

Issued

Jan 10, 2013

Abate by

Jan 25, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,600 · Current $1,425 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(c)(1): Open-sided floors and/or platforms four feet or more above adjacent floor or ground level were not guarded with standard railings (or equivalent) and toeboards: Note:  Toeboards are only required when persons can pass, there is moving equipment or there is equipment with which falling materials could create a hazard.  (a) In Aerosol Production, on mixing tank platforms, where employees were adding chemicals to mixing tanks, there were no guard rails on open sides of platforms, exposing employees to the hazards of falling at least 5 feet to the concrete floor below.   (b) In Aerosol Production, guard rails on each end of the mixing tank platform for Terco-1 lacked mid-rails, exposing employees to the hazards of falling 5 feet to the concrete floor below. There were 30-inch openings in the guard rail, and vertical members were spaced at 14-inch intervals.   (c) In the liquid mixing room, on the mixing tank platform where employees were adding materials to tanks, there were no guard rails on open sides of the platform that were not blocked by tanks, including the material loading corner which was protected only by a chain, exposing employees to the hazards of falling at least 5 feet to the concrete floor below.

Issued

Jan 10, 2013

Abate by

Jan 17, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,700 · Current $1,425 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(e)(2): Stair rails did not consist of a top rail, intermediate rail and/or posts, with the vertical height not more than 34 inches (86.36 cm) nor less than 30 inches (76.2 cm) from upper surface of top rail to surface of tread in line with face of riser at forward edge of tread:  (a) In Aerosol Production, stairs to mixing tank platform for Terco-1 line, where employees were adding chemicals to mixing tanks, mid-rails were not installed on the stair rails, exposing employees to the hazards of falling to the concrete floor 5 feet below the platform.   (b) In Aerosol Production, stairs to mixing tank platform for Terco-2 line, where employees were adding chemicals to mixing tanks, mid-rails were not installed, exposing employees to the hazards of falling to the concrete floor 5 feet below the platform.   (c) In Aerosol Production, fixed stairs on mixing platform for Terco-2 line used by employees for top loading a mixing tank lacked a mid-rail, exposing employees to the hazards of falling to the platform 55 inches below.   (d) In the liquid mixing room, stairs to the mixing tank platform where employees were adding chemicals to mixing tanks, mid-rails were not installed on the stair rails, exposing employees to the hazards of falling to the concrete floor 5 feet below the platform.

Issued

Jan 10, 2013

Abate by

Jan 25, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,700 · Current $1,425 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.24(b): Fixed stairs were not provided where access to elevations was daily or at each shift for such purposes as gauging, inspection, regular maintenance, etc., where such work may expose employee(s) to acids, caustics, gases, or other harmful substances, or for which purposes the carrying of tools or equipment by hand is normally required:  (a) At the liquid filling line, employees were using a ladder in lieu of fixed stairs or platform to connect fill hoses to elevated batch tanks, which required both hands to make the connection, exposing employees to the hazards of falling from the ladder at least 4 feet to concrete floor.

Issued

Jan 10, 2013

Abate by

Jan 25, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,700 · Current $1,425 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.24(f): Rise height and tread width were not uniform throughout any flight of stairs including any foundation structure used as one or more treads of the stairs:  (a) Liquid mixing room, at the mixing tank platform used by employees for top loading tanks, platform stairway located across from the exhaust duct had a wood foundation riser measuring 4.5 inches in height, 9 inch rise height for the bottom step, 8 inch rise heights for the next 4 steps, then a 7.5 inch rise from the stair platform to the mixing platform, exposing employees to the hazards of tripping and falling on the stairs.   (b) Liquid mixing room, stairway near the materials loading end of the platform had a wood foundation riser measuring 5.5 inches in height and stair rise heights ranging from 9 inches to 10.5 inches, exposing employees to the hazards of tripping and falling on the stairs.   (c) In Aerosol Production, at the mixing platform for Terco-2 line used by employees for top loading tanks, the stairway access to the platform had rise heights measuring 9 inches, but the top step was 4.5 inches below the platform edge, exposing employees to the hazards of tripping and falling down the stairs.