OSHA Inspection: TECH TUBE, INC.

Issued

May 17, 2013

Abate by

Jul 21, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,975 · Current $2,084 Reduced

Hazardous substances 81108111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(b)(1): When employees were subjected to sound exceeding those listed in Table G-16, feasible administrative controls were not utilized:     a)  Tech Tube, Inc. - On or about February 21, 2013, an employee working a small tagging machine, was exposed to noise at 324% of the exposure level of 90 dBA or an eight-hour time weighted average of 98.9 dBA.  This exposure was observed over a 465 minute sampling period, with a zero noise exposure assumed for the 15 minutes not included in the sample.       b)  Tech Tube, Inc. - On or about February 21, 2013, an employee working a large tagging machine, was exposed to noise at 136% of the exposure level of 90 dBA or an eight-hour time weighted average of 93.3 dBA.  This exposure was observed over a 464 minute sampling period with a zero noise exposure assumed for the 16 minutes not included in the sample.     Feasible abatement methods include but are not limited to:     1)  Administratively controlling the time employees work in the high noise areas to reduce their average noise exposure to below 90 dbA.     2)  Installing additional noise dampening to reduce noise levels in the high noise areas.       ABATEMENT STEPS ARE AS FOLLOW:     STEP 1 -A written detailed plan of abatement shall be submitted to the Area Director outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measures to control employee exposures to noise referenced in this citation.  This plan shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the following actions which must be consistent with the dates required by this citation:     1.  Evaluation of engineering/administrative control options;   2.  Selection of optimum control method and completion of design;   3.  procurement, installation and operation of selected control measures;   4.  Testing and acceptance or modification and/redesign of controls.     All proposed control measures shall be evaluated for each particular  use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person.  Ninety (90) day progress reports are required during the abatement period.     STEP 2 - Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving  compliance.

Issued

May 17, 2013

Abate by

Jun 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,975 · Current $2,083 Reduced

Hazardous substances 2460

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.106(e)(2)(iv)(d): Flammable liquids were not drawn from or transferred into vessels, containers, or portable tanks within a building through a closed piping system, from safety cans, by means of a device drawing through the top, or from a container or portable tanks by gravity through an approved self-closing valve. Transferring by means of air pressure on the container or portable tanks was not prohibited.   a)  Small Tagging Machine Area - Employees use Tubol 467, a flammable liquid to wipe down tubing and were exposed to burn hazards while while dispensing it from an unapproved container on or about February 6, 2013.   Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date.  The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

May 17, 2013

Abate by

Jun 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 2460

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.106(e)(2)(ii):  Flammable or combustible liquids were not stored in tanks or closed containers.  a)  Small Tagging Machine Area - Employees use Tubol 467, a flammable liquid, to coat tubing and were exposed to burn hazards while it was not being stored in a closed container on the tagging machine bench adjacent to the Tagger work area on or about February 6, 2013.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date.  The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

May 17, 2013

Abate by

Jun 6, 2013

Penalty

Initial $1,785 · Current $1,250 Reduced

Hazardous substances 2460

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(5):   The employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged, or marked with the identity and appropriate hazard warnings regarding the hazardous chemicals contained therein:     a)  Tech Tube - Employees which use Tubol 467 to coat tubing were exposed to chemical and flammable hazards because the metal open top container was not labeled, tagged or marked with the chemical identity or appropriate hazard warnings of the hazardous chemical housed within the container on or about February 6, 2013.    Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date.  The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.