OSHA Inspection: SOUTHERN GROUTS AND MORTARS

Issued

Jun 7, 2013

Abate by

Jul 3, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,200 · Current $2,520 Reduced

Hazardous substances 91309135

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 did not establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures.   On or about February 6, 2013, employees who processed raw materials, mixed batches of cement products, bagged the products and performed other tasks were required to wear a filtering facepiece respirator or a negative pressure half-facepiece respirator for protection against dusts containing Portland cement and crystalline quartz silica.

Issued

Jun 7, 2013

Abate by

Jul 3, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 91309135

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:   On or about February 6, 2013, employees who processed raw materials, mixed batches of cement products, bagged the products and performed other tasks were required to wear a filtering facepiece respirator or a negative pressure half-facepiece respirator for protection against dusts containing Portland cement and crystalline quartz silica.

Issued

Jun 7, 2013

Abate by

Jun 28, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 91309135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2): Employee(s) using tight-fitting facepiece respirators were not fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator:   On or about February 6, 2013, employees who processed raw materials, mixed batches of cement products, bagged the products and performed other tasks were required to wear a filtering facepiece respirator or a negative pressure half-facepiece respirator for protection against dusts containing Portland cement and crystalline quartz silica.

Issued

Jun 7, 2013

Abate by

Jun 19, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $2,940 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(m)(2): Employee(s) stood under or passed under the elevated portion of a powered industrial truck:    On or about February 6, 2013, an employee used a forklift to elevate Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers containing silica sand and then stood beneath the load to slit the bottom of the sack so that the contents flowed into a pit for conveyance to storage bins.  This work practice resulted in a hazard of being struck by the lifting mechanism and/or the load it supported should one or both suddenly fall.

Issued

Jun 7, 2013

Abate by

Sep 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,200 · Current $2,520 Reduced

Hazardous substances 91309135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2): Employees were exposed to materials in excess of the 8-hour time weighted average limits listed for those materials in Table Z-1, of Subpart Z, of 29 CFR Part 1910:        A.    On or about February 6, 2013, a bagging employee who operated the New Side Bagger #6 was exposed to Particulates Not Otherwise Regulated (Total Dust) at an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) level of 26.70 milligrams per cubic meter (26.70 mg/M³), 1.78 times the permissible exposure limit of 15 mg/M³.  This limit is established to prevent respiratory irritation and cumulative lung damage.  The exposure level was derived from two samples collected for 442 minutes on February 28, 2013.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of 38 minutes.     B.    On or about February 6, 2013, a bagging employee who operated the New Side Bagger #5 was exposed to Particulates Not Otherwise Regulated (Respirable Dust) at an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) level of 5.09 milligrams per cubic meter (5.09 mg/M³), 1.02 times the permissible exposure limit of 5.0 mg/M³.  This limit is established to prevent respiratory irritation and cumulative lung damage.  The exposure level was derived from two samples collected for 452 minutes on February 28, 2013.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of 38 minutes.

Issued

Jun 7, 2013

Abate by

Sep 10, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 91309135

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.    On or about February 6, 2013, a bagging employee who operated the New Side Bagger #6 was exposed to Particulates Not Otherwise Regulated (Total Dust) at an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) level of 26.70 milligrams per cubic meter (26.70 mg/M³), 1.78 times the permissible exposure limit of 15 mg/M³.  This limit is established to prevent respiratory irritation and cumulative lung damage.  The exposure level was derived from two samples collected for 442 minutes on February 28, 2013.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of 38 minutes.    B.    On or about February 6, 2013, a bagging employee who operated the New Side Bagger #5 was exposed to Particulates Not Otherwise Regulated (Respirable Dust) at an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) level of 5.09 milligrams per cubic meter (5.09 mg/M³), 1.02 times the permissible exposure limit of 5.0 mg/M³.  This limit is established to prevent respiratory irritation and cumulative lung damage.  The exposure level was derived from two samples collected for 452 minutes on February 28, 2013.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of 38 minutes.

Issued

Jun 7, 2013

Abate by

Jun 19, 2013

Penalty

Initial $4,200 · Current $2,520 Reduced

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:   On or about February 6, 2013, employees were exposed to products such as silica crystalline quartz sand (inhalation hazard) and Portland cement (inhalation and skin contact hazards) in areas where products were mixed, bagged, and palletized.

Issued

Jun 7, 2013

Abate by

Jun 19, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:   On or about February 6, 2013, employees were exposed to products such as silica crystalline quartz sand (inhalation hazard) and Portland cement (inhalation and skin contact hazards) in areas where products were mixed, bagged, and palletized.