OSHA Inspection: ACCUTEST LABORATORIES

Issued

May 14, 2013

Abate by

May 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $5,312 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1052(c)(1): The employer did not ensure that no employee(s) was exposed to an airborne concentration of methylene chloride in excess of twenty-five parts per million as an 8-hour TWA:     a) Accutest Laboratories, Dayton, NJ site  Organic Extraction Laboratory: An employee conducting laboratory procedures using 100% methylene chloride (MC) was exposed to 8-hour TWA of 54.13 ppm of MC during a 446 minutes occupational exposure.  The 8-hour TWA employee exposure was 2.17 times the OSHA (PEL) of 25 ppm for methylene chloride.       Violation occured on/or about December 13, 2012.

Issued

May 14, 2013

Abate by

May 24, 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 and wherever the feasible engineering controls and work practices which can be instituted were not sufficient to reduce employee exposure to or below the 8-hour time weighted average permissible exposure limit or short term exposure limit, the employer did not use them to reduce employee exposure to the lowest levels achievable and did not supplement them by the use of respiratory protection that compiled with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.1052(g):   a) Accutest Laboratories, Dayton, NJ site  Organic Extraction Laboratory:  The Employer did no implement effective engineering controls and work practices to achieve compliance when an employee is overexposed to methylene chloride (MC).  An employee conducting laboratory procedures using 100% MC was exposed to 8-hour TWA of 54.13 ppm of MC during a 446 minutes occupational exposure.  The 8-hour TWA employee exposure was 2.17 times the OSHA (PEL) of 25 ppm for MC.  The employee was also exposed to three (3) 15-minutes MC samples of 211.43 ppm, 137.47 ppm and 186.26 ppm, which were 1.69, 1.09, 1.49 times respectively over the OSHA STEL of 125 ppm.   Violation occurred on/or about December 13, 2012.

Issued

May 14, 2013

Abate by

May 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:  a) Accutest Laboratories, Dayton, NJ site  Organic Extraction Laboratory: An employee conducting laboratory procedures using 100% methylene chloride (MC) was exposed to three (3) 15-minutes MC samples of 211.43 ppm, 137.47 ppm and 186.26 ppm, which were 1.69, 1.09, 1.49 times respectively over the OSHA Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) of 125 ppm.     Violation occurred on/or about December 13, 2013.

Issued

May 14, 2013

Abate by

May 14, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $5,312 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1052(d)(1)(i): Where methylene chloride was present in the workplace, the Employer did not determine each employees exposure by taking personal breathing zone air samples that are representative of each employees exposure:     a) Accutest Laboratories, Dayton, NJ site  Organic Extraction Laboratory: The Employer did not determine each employees exposure to methylene chloride (MC) by taking representative personal breathing zone sampling.  The MC solution contained 100% of MC.        Violation noted on/or about November 21, 2012.

Issued

May 14, 2013

Abate by

May 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $5,312 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1052(f)(3)(i): The employer did not implement procedures to detect leaks of methylene chloride in the workplace, did not make provisions to contain spill and to safely dispose of any methylene chloride-contained waste materials:       Accutest Laboratories, Dayton, NJ site  Organic Extraction Laboratory:  Procedures to detect leaks of methylene chloride (MC) in the workplace were not put in practice.  Provisions to contain spills and safely dispose of any MC contained waste material were not provided.        a)  MC waste containers located in the fume hoods were not provided with proper lids to prevent accidental spills or release of vapors.     b)  One (1) liter MC transfer bottles were not provided with proper caps to prevent spills and release of vapors.  MC chloride transfer bottles were left open and unattended during the work shift.      c)  There were no provisions to contain MC chloride spills when MC transfer bottles were overfilled from the MC spigot.      d)  Provisions to contain leaks and spills from separatory funnels containing MC were not provided.             Condition noted on/or about December 13, 2012.

Issued

May 14, 2013

Abate by

May 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $5,312 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.10152(h)(1): Where needed to prevent methylene chloride (MC)-induced skin or eye irritation, the Employer did not provide clean protective clothing and equipment resistant to MC, at no cost to the employee, and/or did not ensure that each affected employee used it:     a) Accutest Laboratories, Dayton, NJ site  Organic Extraction Laboratory: Employees working with methylene chloride were not wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves that is impervious to methylene chloride.        Condition noted on/or about November 21, 2012.

Issued

May 14, 2013

Abate by

May 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $5,312 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1052(l)(1): The employer did not provide information and training for each affected employee prior to or at the time of initial assignment to a job involving potential exposure to methylene chloride:    a) Accutest Laboratories, Dayton, NJ site  Organic Extraction Laboratory:  The Employer did not provide appropriate information and training of methylene chloride prior to or at the time of assignment for affected employees.        Condition noted on/or about November 21, 2012.

Issued

May 14, 2013

Abate by

May 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): Employees were not provided effective information and training as specified in 29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(2) and (3) on hazardous chemicals in their work at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard was introduced into their work area:      a)      Accutest Laboratories, Dayton, NJ site  Organic Extraction Laboratory:  Employees were not provided information/training on the handling of hazardous chemicals used within the facility.  Employees work with chemicals such as, but not limited to:   -          100% Methylene chloride  -          100% Ether   -          100% Hexane   -          Acetone  -          Sodium Sulfate   -          Etc.      Condition noted on/or about November 21, 2012.