OSHA Inspection: EJ USA INC

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,000 · Current $2,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1): The employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.9(c) through (o) whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale, or equivalently a dose of fifty percent:    a) At the facility, on or about 7/31/13: The employer did not develop a hearing conservation program for the facility. An employee working in the riveting department was exposed to continuous noise at a level of 110.6% of the dose of the permissible exposure limit (PEL). The equivalent dBA for 110.6% dose is approximately 90.7 dBA calculated as the 8 hour time weighted sound pressure level. Sampling was conducted for 442 minutes. A zero increment was included for the remaining 38 minutes of the workday.    b) At the facility, on or about 7/31/13: The employer did not develop a hearing conservation program for the facility. An employee operating the plasma cut table was exposed to continuous noise at a level of 90.98% of the dose of the permissible exposure limit (PEL). The equivalent dBA for 90.98% dose is approximately 89.3 dBA calculated as the 8 hour time weighted sound pressure level. Sampling was conducted for 435 minutes. A zero increment was included for the remaining 45 minutes of the workday.    c) At the facility, on or about 7/31/13: The employer did not develop a hearing conservation program for the facility. An employee welding in the steel welding department was exposed to continuous noise at a level of 74.39% of the dose of the permissible exposure limit (PEL). The equivalent dBA for 74.39% dose is approximately 87.8 dBA calculated as the 8 hour time weighted sound pressure level. Sampling was conducted for 452 minutes. A zero increment was included for the remaining 28 minutes of the workday.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Nov 22, 2013

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $3,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(d)(2)(i): An employee was exposed to copper fume, iron oxide, and manganese listed in the Z tables in excess of the cumulative exposure limit:        a) In the welding dept, on or about 7/31/13: An employee conducting welding was exposed to an 8 hour time weighted average of a mixture of 0.054 mg/m3 of copper fume, 0.544 mg/m3 of manganese fume, and 6.275 mg/m3 of iron oxide fume, 1.28 times the permissible exposure limit of the mixture for the 382 minute sampling period. A zero increment was included for the 98 minutes not sampled.       Abatement certification must be submitted for this item.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Jun 18, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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) In the welding department, on or about 7/31/2013: The employer did not determine and implement feasible administrative or engineering controls where a welder was exposed to a mixture of iron oxide fume, manganese fume, and copper fume in excess of 1.28 times the permissible exposure limit for the mixture.      Abatement certification must be submitted for this item.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Nov 22, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,000 · Current $2,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(c): Employees were exposed to an airborne concentration of chromium (VI) which exceeded 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air, as an 8-hour time-weighted average:      a) In the stainless steel dept, on or about 7/31/13: An employee cutting and welding stainless steel was exposed to an 8 hour time weighted average of 0.00578 mg/m3 hexavalent chromium, 1.156 times the OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 0.005 mg/m3 for the 382 minute sampling period. A zero increment was included for the 98 minutes not sampled.         Abatement certification must be submitted for this item.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Oct 27, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(e)(2): The employer did not ensure that a regulated area for chromium (VI) was demarcated from the rest of the workplace in a manner that adequately established and alerted employees of the boundaries of the regulated area:    a) In the stainless steel weld area, on or about 7/31/13: There was no demarcation to indicate a regulated area where OSHA air sampling showed a welder exposed to an 8 hour time weighted average of hexavalent chromium exceeding the permissible exposure limit.    Abatement certification must be submitted for this item.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Jun 18, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(f)(1)(i): Feasible engineering controls and work practices were not instituted to reduce and maintain employee exposures to chromium (VI) at or below the permissible exposure limit:    a) In the stainless steel dept, on or about 7/31/13: Engineering controls and work practices were not instituted to reduce and maintain employee exposure to hexavalent chromium at or below the permissible exposure limit (PEL). OSHA air sampling showed an employee exposed to an 8 hour time weighed average of 0.00578 mg/m3 hexavalent chromium, 1.156 times the OSHA PEL.     Abatement certification must be submitted for this item.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Oct 27, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(i)(5): The employer did not prohibit eating, drinking, smoking, chewing tobacco or gum, or applying cosmetics in regulated areas, or in areas where skin or eye contact with chromium (VI) occurs; or carry the products associated with these activities, or store such products in these areas:    a) In the stainless steel dept, on or about 7/31/13: The employer did not prohibit eating, drinking, or storing of food products in regulated areas.     Abatement certification must be submitted for this item.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Oct 27, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(k)(1)(i)(A): The employer did not make medical surveillance available for all employees who were or could be occupationally exposed to chromium (VI) at or above the action level for 30 or more days a year:    a) In the stainless steel dept, on or about 7/31/13: Medical surveillance was not made available to an employee who welds and cuts stainless steel. OSHA air sampling showed the employee exposed to an 8 hour time weighted average of 0.0578 mg/m3 hexavalent chromium, 1.156 times the OSHA permissible exposure limit.     Abatement certification must be submitted for this item.

Issued

Sep 24, 2013

Abate by

Oct 27, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(l)(2)(i): Prior to initial job assignment to an area where employees were subject to chromium (VI) exposure, the employer did not ensure that each employee can demonstrate knowledge in the content of this section, and the purpose and description of the medical surveillance program required by paragraph (k) of this section.     a) In the stainless steel dept, on or about 7/31/13: Specific training on hexavalent chromium including the purpose and description of the medical surveillance program was not provided to employees exposed to levels of hexavalent chromium above the OSHA permissible exposure limit of 0.005 mg/m3. OSHA sampling showed an employee welding and cutting stainless steel exposed to an 8 hour time weighted average of 0.00578 mg/m3 hexavalent chromium.   Abatement certification must be submitted for this item.