OSHA Inspection: ARMOR INDUSTRIAL FABRICATOR

Issued

Apr 22, 2013

Abate by

May 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,200 · Current $400 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2)(ii):  The employer did not establish and implement those elements of a written program necessary to ensure that any employee using a respirator voluntarily was medically able to use that respirator, and that the respirator was cleaned, stored, and maintained so that its use does not present a health hazard to the user:     a)  The employer had not established and implemented a written respiratory protection program, including provisions for medical evaluations and respirator cleaning, storage and maintenance.  Employees voluntarily use 3M half-face elastomeric respirators while grinding metal wheels.

Issued

Apr 22, 2013

Abate by

May 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1):  The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee was fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace:    a)  Employees voluntarily using 3M half-face elastomeric respirators while grinding metal wheels had not been provided with medical evaluations.

Issued

Apr 22, 2013

Abate by

Apr 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $3,904

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(1)(iii):  The employer did not identify and evaluate the respiratory hazard(s) in the workplace, including a reasonable estimate of employee exposures to respiratory hazard(s) and an identification of the contaminant's chemical state and physical form:    a)  A reasonable estimate of employee exposures to hydrocarbons  when 'sniffing' (smelling) tanks for contamination had not been performed, exposing employees to inhalation hazards.

Issued

Apr 22, 2013

Abate by

May 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $3,904

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(1): The employer did not evaluate the workplace to determine if any spaces were permit-required confined spaces:    a)  Confined spaces such as, but not limited to, hydrocarbon scrubbers were not evaluted to determine if they were permit-required.   Employees were exposed to fire and inhalation hazards when breaking the plane of the scrubber to catch molten slag.

Issued

Apr 22, 2013

Abate by

May 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4):  When the employer decided that its employees would enter permit spaces, the employer did not develop and implement a written permit space entry program that complied with 29 CFR 1910.146:     a)  The employer had not developed and implemented a written permit space entry program.  Employees enter confined spaces containing hazardous atmospheres such as, but not limited to, scrubbers.

Issued

Apr 22, 2013

Abate by

May 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(d)(2): The employer did not identify and evaluate the hazards of permit spaces before employees entered:    a)  On or about November 5, 2012 - The inhalation and explosion hazards of entering the tank of a scrubber were not identified and evaluated prior to entry.

Issued

Apr 22, 2013

Abate by

May 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(d)(8): Under the permit-required confined space program required by 29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4), the employer did not designate the persons who were to have active roles in entry operations, did not identify the duties of each such employee, and did not provide each such employee with the training required by paragraph (g) of this section:     a)  Employees with active roles in entry operations, such as entrants, were not designated; their duties were not identified; and they had not received the training required by paragraph (g) prior to entering confined spaces with hazardous atmospheres such as, but not limited to scrubber tanks.  This condition exposed employees to inhalation, fire, and explosion hazards.

Issued

Apr 22, 2013

Abate by

May 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(d)(10): Under the permit-required confined space program required by 29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4), the employer did not develop and implement a system for the preparation, issuance, use, and cancellation of entry permits as required by 29 CFR 1910.146(e)(1):    a)  At the facility, on or about November 5, 2012 - An entry permit was not used for entry into the tank of a scrubber, nor had the acceptable entry conditions been specified and tested.  An employee entered the space by breaking the plane of the tank to catch molten slag.

Issued

Apr 22, 2013

Abate by

May 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,400 · Current $3,904

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1):  One or more methods of machine guarding was not provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips and sparks:    a)  At the facility, on or about November 6, 2012 - An Atlantic press brake, serial #81253, model #SRM22512, was not guarded at the point of operation.  Employees used the press brake to bend fabricated metal parts.  This condition exposed the employees to a caught-in hazard.

Issued

Apr 22, 2013

Abate by

Apr 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $3,904

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.252(a)(2)(vi)(C): Cutting or welding was permitted in the presence of explosive atmospheres (mixtures of flammable gases, vapors, liquids, or dusts with air), or explosive atmospheres that could develop inside uncleaned or improperly prepared tanks or equipment which had previously contained such materials, or that could develop in areas with an accumulation of combustible dusts:    a)  At the facility, on or about November 5, 2012 - Cutting was permitted in the presence of an explosive atmosphere that could develop inside improperly prepared tanks which had previously contained flammable liquids.

Issued

Apr 22, 2013

Abate by

Apr 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.252(a)(3)(i): Welding, cutting, or other hot work was performed on used drums, barrels, tanks, or other containers that had not been cleaned so thoroughly as to make absolutely certain there were no flammable materials present or any substances such as greases, tars, acids, or other materials which were subjected to heat, might produce flammable or toxic vapors:    a)  At the facility, on or about November 5, 2012 - Cutting was performed on a used tank that had not been cleaned so thoroughly as to make absolutely certain there were no flammable materials present within the tank.

Issued

Apr 22, 2013

Abate by

May 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $3,904

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): The employer did not develop, implement, and/or maintain at the workplace a written hazard communication program which describes how the criteria specified in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f), (g), and (h) will be met:    a)  A written hazard communication program had not been developed and implemented.  Employees weld on tanks containing flammable chemicals, such as, but not limited to hydrocarbons.

Issued

Apr 22, 2013

Abate by

Apr 30, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(5)(i): The employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged or marked with the identity of the hazardous chemical(s) contained therein:    a)  At the facility, on or about November 6, 2012 - A tank containing hydrocarbons, a flammable, was not labeled.

Issued

Apr 22, 2013

Abate by

Apr 30, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(5)(ii): The employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged or marked with the appropriate hazard warnings:    a)  At the facility, on or about November 6, 2012 - A tank containing hydrocarbons, a flammable, was not labeled.

Issued

Apr 22, 2013

Abate by

May 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $0 Reduced

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)  Employees were not informed of the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.1200; operations in their work area where hazardous chemicals were present;  and the location and availability of the written hazard communication program, including the required list(s) of hazardous chemicals, and safety data sheets required by this section; nor were employees trained on the methods and observations that may be used to detect the presence or release of a hazardous chemical in the work area; the physical, health, simple asphyxiation, combustible dust, and pyrophoric gas hazards, as well as hazards not otherwise classified, of the chemicals in the work area; protective measures; and the details of the hazard communication program.  Employees are exposed to dusts generated when grinding stainless steel.  Employees also cut/weld on tanks containing flammable chemicals, such as, but not limited to hydrocarbons.

Issued

Apr 22, 2013

Abate by

May 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $400 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8): The employer did not maintain copies of the required material safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical in the workplace:      a)  At the facility, on or about November 6, 2012 - Material Safety Data Sheets were not maintained for hydrocarbons and stainless steel.  Employees are exposed to dusts generated when grinding stainless steel.  Employees also cut/weld on tanks containing flammable chemicals, such as, but not limited to hydrocarbons.

Issued

Apr 22, 2013

Abate by

May 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $400 · Current $400

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2)(i):  Respirator users were not provided with the information contained in Appendix D to 29 CFR 1910.134 when the employer determined that any voluntary respirator use was permissible:    a) The information contained in Appendix D was not provided to employees voluntarily using 3M half-face elastomeric respirators while grinding metal wheels.

Issued

Apr 22, 2013

Abate by

May 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $400 · Current $400

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)(i):  The employer did not ensure that each powered industrial truck operator is competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely, as demonstrated by the successful completion of the training and evaluation specified in this paragraph (l):  a)  The employer had not provided employees operating a Hyster forklift, model #S80XM, serial number F004V02392B, with forklift training.  This condition exposed employees to struck-by hazards.