OSHA Inspection: COLUMBIA RECYCLING CORPORATION

Issued

Mar 26, 2013

Abate by

May 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $3,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1): The employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.9(c) through (o) whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale, or equivalently a dose of fifty percent:    a)  An employee working in building five loading line #1 was exposed to noise levels at 91.8% of the action level dose (8-hour time weighted average sound level of 85 decibels) or an equivalent sound level of 89.38 dBA during 476 minute sampling period on October 25, 2012.  Employees could be exposed to noise induced hearing loss.    b)  The employee working in building five at the baler for line #2 was exposed to noise levels at 75.74% of the action level dose (8-hour time weighted average sound level of 85 decibels) or an equivalent sound level of 87.99 dBA during 451 minute sampling period on October 25, 2012.  Employees could be exposed to noise induced hearing loss.

Issued

Mar 26, 2013

Abate by

Apr 19, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $4,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1): The employer did not assess the workplace to determine if hazards were present, or were likely to be present, which necessitated the use of personal protective equipment:    a) The employer did not assess the hazards associated with dispensing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).  The employer did not select personal protective equipment to protect employees from severe frost burns and blindness.

Issued

Mar 26, 2013

Abate by

May 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $3,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1):     A written respiratory protection program that included the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix) with worksite specific procedures was not established and implemented for required respirator use:     a)  The employer did not establish or implement a site specific respiratory protection program for the employees required to wear a 3M half mask respirator while working in buildings #4 and #5 overexposed to total dust at levels greater than 2.8 times the permissible exposure limit, epxosing employees to nose, throat, and upper respiratory irritations.

Issued

Mar 26, 2013

Abate by

May 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(3):     The employer did not designate a program administrator who was qualified by appropriate training or experience to administer or oversee the respiratory protection program and to conduct the required evaluations of program effectiveness:    a)  The respiratory protection program was not administered by a trained or qualified program administrator, exposing employees to nose, throat, and upper respiratory irritations.

Issued

Mar 26, 2013

Abate by

May 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,000 · Current $1,800 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k):     The employer did not provide comprehensive, understandable training which did not occur annually and/or more often if necessary:    a)  The employer did not provide comprehensive respiratory protection training to employees required to wear 3M half mask respirators on a daily basis, exposing employees to nose, throat, and upper respiratory irritations.

Issued

Mar 26, 2013

Abate by

May 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,400 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1): The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employees ability to use a respirator, before the employee was fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace:    a)  The employer did not provide medical evaluations to employees required to wear 3M half mask respirators on a daily basis while working in buildings #4 and #5, exposing employees to upper respiratory irritations and cardiac distress.

Issued

Mar 26, 2013

Abate by

May 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,000 · Current $1,800 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f):  The employee was required to use a respirator without being fit tested with the same make, model, style and size of respirator that was to be used:    a)  The employer did not provide fit testing to employees required to wear 3M half mask respirators in buildings #4 and #5 to ensure the respirator provided an appropriate fit factor, exposing employees to upper respiratory irritations.

Issued

Mar 26, 2013

Abate by

May 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(1)(iv):     The employer did not select respirators from a sufficient number of respirator models and sizes to ensure the respirators used in the worksite were acceptable to and correctly fit the users:    a)  The employer had only a size medium 3M 6200/07025 half mask respirator for employees required to wear respirators in buildings #4 and #5.  The employer did not ensure that the respirator was acceptable and correctly fitted to the user, exposing employees to upper respiratory irritations.

Issued

Mar 26, 2013

Abate by

May 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

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)  An employee in building #5 had facial hair while wearing a 3M half mask respirator, which came between the tight fitting facepiece of the 3M 6200/07025 half mask respirator and the face which may result in face piece seal leakage, exposing that employee to upper respiratory irritations.

Issued

Mar 26, 2013

Abate by

May 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(g)(1)(i)(B):  Respirators with tight-fitting facepieces were worn by employees with a condition that interfered with the face-to-facepiece seal or valve function:    a)  In buildings #4 and #5, the employer did not ensure employees maintained a proper seals of their respirator due to broken seals and employees inserting dust masks into their respirators, exposing employees to upper respiratory irritations.

Issued

Mar 26, 2013

Abate by

May 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(h)(1):  Respirators were not cleaned and disinfected using the procedures in Appendix B-2 of 29 CFR 1910.134 or equivalent procedures recommended by the respirator manufacturer:    a) In buildings #4 and #5, the employer did not provide a means of cleaning the employees' respirators, exposing employees to upper respiratory irritations and bacterial infections.

Issued

Mar 26, 2013

Abate by

May 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(h)(2)(i):  Respirators were not stored to protect them from damage, contamination, dust, sunlight, extreme temperatures, excessive moisture, and damaging chemicals or were not packed or stored to prevent deformation of the facepiece and exhalation valve:    a)  In buildings #4 and #5, the employer did not provide a means for employees to store their respirators in a manner in which prevented damage to the respirator, exposing employees to upper respiratory irritations.

Issued

Mar 26, 2013

Abate by

Apr 19, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,250 · Current $2,550 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(a)(6):  The employer did not ensure that all nameplates and markings were in place:    a) In building #5, the employer did not ensure the data plate was legible for employees to understand the load capacity of the TCM forklift (Model FG20T6 and Serial Number A36G67654), exposing employees to crush-by hazards.    b)  In building #3, the employer did not ensure the load rating plate was in place for employees to understand the load capacity of the TCM forklift (Model FG20T6 and Serial Number A36G66030), exposing employees to crush-by hazards.

Issued

Mar 26, 2013

Abate by

May 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,400 · Current $2,040 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(f)(2):     The storage and handling of liquefied petroleum gas fuel was not in accordance with NFPA Storage and Handling of Liquefied Petroleum Gases (NFPA No. 58-1969), which is incorporated by reference as specified in 29 CFR 1910.6:    a)  The employer did not post a "No Smoking" sign on refueling side of the LP gas forklift filling station to ensure that an ignition source was not introduced into the refueling area, exposing employees to fire and explosion hazards.

Issued

Mar 26, 2013

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $3,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.242(b):  Compressed air used for cleaning purposes was not reduced to less than 30 p.s.i.:    a)  In buildings #4 and #5, the employer did not ensure that the compressed air used for cleaning was less than 30 psi, exposing employees to struck by hazard from flying debris or embolism.

Issued

Mar 26, 2013

Abate by

Jun 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $3,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2):  Employees were exposed to an airborne concentration of Particulates not otherwise regulated (total dust) listed in Table Z-1 in excess of the 8 hour Time Weighted Average concentration of 15 milligrams per cubic meter:    a)  In building #4, the loader on line #1 was exposed to an airborne particulate not otherwise regulated (total dust) at an 8 hour Time Weighted Average (TWA) of 42 milligrams per cubic meters (mg/m3), which was 2.817 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 15 mg/m3.  The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over a 463 minute sampling period on October 25, 2012.  Zero exposure assumed for the minutes not sampled.         b)  In building #5, the loader on line #2 was exposed to an airborne particulate not otherwise regulated (total dust) at an 8 hour Time Weighted Average (TWA) of 52 milligrams per cubic meters (mg/m3), which was 3.485 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 15 mg/m3.  The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over a 457 minute sampling period on October 25, 2012.  Zero exposure assumed for the minutes not sampled.        c)  In building #5, the loader on line #4 was exposed to an airborne particulate not otherwise regulated (total dust) at an 8 hour Time Weighted Average (TWA) of 65 milligrams per cubic meters (mg/m3), which was 4.348 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 15 mg/m3.  The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over a 440 minute sampling period on October 25, 2012.  Zero exposure assumed for the minutes not sampled.

Issued

Mar 26, 2013

Abate by

Jun 24, 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)  In building #4, the loader on line #1 was exposed to an airborne particulate not otherwise regulated (total dust) at an 8 hour Time Weighted Average (TWA) of 42 milligrams per cubic meters (mg/m3), which was 2.817 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 15 mg/m3.  The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over a 463 minute sampling period on October 25, 2012.  Zero exposure assumed for the minutes not sampled.         b)  In building #5, the loader on line #2 was exposed to an airborne particulate not otherwise regulated (total dust) at an 8 hour Time Weighted Average (TWA) of 52 milligrams per cubic meters (mg/m3), which was 3.485 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 15 mg/m3.  The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over a 457 minute sampling period on October 25, 2012.  Zero exposure assumed for the minutes not sampled.        c)  In building #5, the loader on line #4 was exposed to an airborne particulate not otherwise regulated (total dust) at an 8 hour Time Weighted Average (TWA) of 65 milligrams per cubic meters (mg/m3), which was 4.348 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 15 mg/m3.  The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over a 440 minute sampling period on October 25, 2012.  Zero exposure assumed for the minutes not sampled.

Issued

Mar 26, 2013

Abate by

May 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,000 · Current $1,800 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(1):   Employers did not have a safety data sheet in the workplace for each hazardous chemical which they use:    a)  Throughout the facility - Employees were required to work with chemicals, such as but not limited to: bleach (containing sodium hypochlorite), oxygen cylinders, and Safety Kleen Premium Solvent (containing petroleum distillates).  Safety data sheets for all hazardous chemicals present in the workplace were not maintained.  As a result, employees were unable to recognize the hazards associated with the use of the products, exposing employees to mild skin, eye, and respiratory irritations.

Issued

Mar 26, 2013

Abate by

May 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1)(i):      The employer did not compile a list of the hazardous chemicals known to be present using a product identifier that was referenced on the appropriate safety data sheet:    a)  Throughout the facility - Employees were required to work with chemicals, such as but not limited to: fast drying enamel spray (containing toluene, acetone, and xylene), liquid petroleum gas (LPG), oxygen cylinders, and Safety Kleen Premium Solvent (containing petroleum distillates).  A list of hazardous chemicals present in the workplace was not established or maintained, exposing employees to moderate skin, eye, and respiratory irritations.