OSHA Inspection: THOMAS & BETTS CORPORATION

Issued

Mar 7, 2013

Abate by

Apr 19, 2013

Penalty

Initial $5,500 · Current $3,300 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.124(b)(4)(ii):     Mechanical ventilation did not conform to NFPA 34-1995, Standard for Dip Tanks Containing Flammable or Combustible Liquids:      On or about November 20, 2012 and at times prior thereto, in the plating line area, the employer did not provide an operable exhaust ventilation system. Employees performing plating activities were exposed to open-tank chemical constituents including chromates, caustics, zinc, muriatic and nitric acids that become airborne due to tank agitation, tank temperature, evaporation, dipping of parts, parts moving along on hanging conveyors and batch changing activities.  This condition exposed employees to potential fire and inhalation hazards.

Issued

Mar 7, 2013

Abate by

Mar 22, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,300 · Current $1,980 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1):     The employer did not assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE):    On or about November 20, 2012, at the plating line area, the employer did not perform a hazard assessment to necessitate the use of respirators for employees performing tasks including but not limited to dispensing muriatic acid, chromates, nitric acids, caustics, zinc and spraying paints containing ethyl benzene and xylene [OSHA PEL: 100 ppm] on parts. This condition exposed employees to inhalation, ingestion, contact and absorption hazards.

Issued

Mar 7, 2013

Abate by

Mar 22, 2013

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.304(g)(7):     Nonelectrical equipment. The metal parts of the following nonelectrical equipment shall be grounded: frames and tracks of electrically operated cranes and hoists; frames of nonelectrically driven elevator cars to which electric conductors are attached; hand-operated metal shifting ropes or cables of electric elevators; and metal partitions, grill work, and similar metal enclosures around equipment of over 750 volts between conductors.    On or about February 7, 2013 and at times prior thereto, at the third open-tank caustic bath, the employer did not effectively ground frame of hoisting equipment. As a result sparks were observed above the electrical conductors, when the conveyer hoist placed and released copper rack containing parts into the caustic bath. This created a condition exposes employees to electrical shock and fire hazards.

Issued

Mar 7, 2013

Abate by

Mar 22, 2013

Penalty

Initial $5,500 · Current $3,300 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(d)(2)(i):     The employer did representative sampling instead of sampling all employees; however, the employer did not sample the employee(s) expected to have the highest chromium (VI) exposures:    On or about November 20, 2012, at the plating area, the employer did not sample the employee(s) who were expected to have the highest exposure to chromium (VI) while performing work-related tasks including dispensing chromate, cleaning chromate baths, and batch changing activities. This practice created a condition for exposure to airborne hazards to chromate mists and fumes due to tank agitation, tank temperature, dipping of parts, parts moving along on hanging conveyors and batch changing activities.

Issued

Mar 7, 2013

Abate by

Mar 15, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2):     The employer did not develop and implement a respiratory protection program in accordance with sections i and ii of this paragraph (c)(2) for employees who chose to wear respirators where respirator use was not required:    On or about November 20, 2012, at the conduits and fittings paint booth, the employer did not develop and implement a respiratory protection program and provide employees voluntary using respirators with the information contained in Appendix D ("information for Employees Using Respirators When Not Required Under the Standard"). Employees performing painting operations were voluntarily using particulate respirators for exposure to paint particulates and dust. This condition exposed employees to inhalation hazards.