OSHA Inspection: BILFINGER AIRVAC WATER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Issued

Jul 29, 2013

Abate by

Sep 13, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(c)(1): Open-sided floors and/or platforms four feet or more above adjacent floor or ground level were not guarded with standard railings (or equivalent) and toeboards:Note:  Toeboards are only required when persons can pass, there is moving equipment or there is equipment with which falling materials could create a hazard.   a) Employees maintaining sensor probes installed out on top of the sewage tank are exposed to an 8 foot fall hazard.  Employees were not provided with fall protection..  Employer did not provide any method of fall protection.

Issued

Jul 29, 2013

Abate by

Aug 22, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(1): The employer shall evaluate the workplace to determine if any spaces are permit-required confined spaces.      a) For the buffer tank located between School Ave. and Olentary St. in Sarasota, FL: Employer did not evaluate the conditions inside the buffer tank to determine if it is a permit-required confined space. Employees are required to enter the buffer tank pits through a manhole to perform maintenance .  Buffer tanks pits are approximately 6 feet deep, employees are exposed to unsafe tank environment such as bleach fumes and raw sewage.

Issued

Jul 29, 2013

Abate by

Aug 22, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(1): Employers shall have a material safety data sheet in the workplace for each hazardous chemical which they use.  a)  Employees using products such as but limited to bleach, motor oils and sealant are exposed to skin irritation in that the Material Safety Data Sheets of each substance were not available, on or about 04/26/13.

Issued

Jul 29, 2013

Abate by

Aug 22, 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 initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area.    a) For employees using a bleach solution, detergent oils for maintenance and cleaning of the sewage systems.  Employees are exposed to minimal skin irritation.

Issued

Jul 29, 2013

Abate by

Aug 15, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2)(i): Respirator users were not provided with the information contained in Appendix D to 29 CFR 1910.134 when the employer determined that any voluntary respirator use was permissible:   a)  Employees entering the buffer tanks to perform maintenance and repair were not provided with information about respirator use.  Employees are exposed to throat irritation due to the use of a bleach solution to sanitize the inside of the buffer tanks.

Issued

Jul 29, 2013

Abate by

Aug 22, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(1): The employer shall ensure that employees using a tight-fitting face piece respirator pass an appropriate qualitative fit test (QLFT) or quantitative fit test (QNFT) as stated in this paragraph.  a) Employer did not provide a fit test for the voluntary use of half face respirators when the employees enter inside the buffer tanks once it is power washed with bleach solution.  Employees are exposed to throat irritation due to the use of bleach.

Issued

Jul 29, 2013

Abate by

Aug 22, 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) Employees have not been provided with a medical evaluation to determine their ability to wear a half-face respirator when they enter inside the buffer tanks after is power-washed with a bleach solution.  Employees are exposed to respiratory tract irritation.