OSHA Inspection: SWAN CLEANERS

Issued

Jan 8, 2013

Abate by

Feb 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $6,300 · Current $3,150 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(a):     Application. Protective equipment, including personal protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices, and protective shields and barriers, shall be provided, used, and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever it is necessary by reason of hazards of processes or environment, chemical hazards, radiological hazards, or mechanical irritants encountered in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation or physical contact.        a.  At the worksite located at 3901 Powell Road, Powell, Ohio, an employee was injured when handling dry cleaning chemicals without wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) which included (but was not limited to) goggles, gloves, boots, apron and face shield.  The employer had not provided adequate PPE for the employees.

Issued

Jan 8, 2013

Abate by

Feb 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,060 · Current $1,530 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1):     In any workplace where respirators are necessary to protect the health of the employee or whenever respirators are required by the employer, the employer shall establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures. The program shall be updated as necessary to reflect those changes in workplace conditions that affect respirator use. The employer shall include in the program the following provisions of this section, as applicable:    a.  At the work site located at 3901 Powell Road, Powell, Ohio, employees were required to wear respiratory protection while processing items for dry cleaning in a commercial washer, adding chemicals during the process, and disposing of used chemcials at the end of the process.  The employer did not have a written respiratory protection program.

Issued

Jan 8, 2013

Abate by

Feb 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1):     General. The employer shall provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee is fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace. The employer may discontinue an employee's medical evaluations when the employee is no longer required to use a respirator.      a.  At the worksite located at 3901 Powell Road, Powell, Ohio, the employer did not have employees medically cleared prior to wearing respiratory protection required at the job site.  Employees processed items for dry cleaning, handled chemicals for the dry cleaning process and used chemicals after processing.

Issued

Jan 8, 2013

Abate by

Feb 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f):     Fit testing. This paragraph requires that, before an employee may be required to use any respirator with a negative or positive pressure tight-fitting facepiece, the employee must be fit tested with the same make, model, style, and size of respirator that will be used. This paragraph specifies the kinds of fit tests allowed, the procedures for conducting them, and how the results of the fit tests must be used.      a.  At the worksite located at 3901 Powell Road, Powell, Ohio, the employer did not have employees fit tested prior to wearing respiratory protection required at the job site.  Employees who were required to wear respirators processed items for dry cleaning, handled chemicals for the dry cleaning process and used chemicals after processing.

Issued

Jan 8, 2013

Abate by

Feb 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k):     Training and information. This paragraph requires the employer to provide effective training to employees who are required to use respirators. The training must be comprehensive, understandable, and recur annually, and more often if necessary. This paragraph also requires the employer to provide the basic information on respirators in Appendix D of this section to employees who wear respirators when not required by this section or by the employer to do so.      a.  At the worksite located at 3901 Powell Road, Powell, Ohio, employees processed items for dry cleaning, handled chemicals for the dry cleaning process and used chemicals after processing.  The employer did not provide employees with adequate training prior to their wearing respiratory protection required at the job site.