OSHA Inspection: NOR-RAL, INC.

Issued

Oct 24, 2013

Abate by

Nov 27, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1): A written respiratory protection program that included the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix) with worksite specific procedures was not established and implemented for required respirator use:  Nor-Ral, Inc. - on or about July 18, 2013,    The employer did not develop and implement a written Respiratory Protection program where respirator use was required during spray application of paints.  In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(c), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET).

Issued

Oct 24, 2013

Abate by

Nov 27, 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:  Nor-Ral, Inc. - on or about July 18, 2013,  The employer did not provide training including the information contained in Appendix D of the Respiratory Protection standard where employees wore respirators in the workplace, to include voluntary use of filtering facepiece respirators when grinding and half-face air-purifying respirators when welding.   In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(c), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET).

Issued

Oct 24, 2013

Abate by

Nov 27, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2)(ii): The employer did not establish and implement those elements of a written program necessary to ensure that any employee using a respirator voluntarily was medically able to use that respirator, and that the respirator was cleaned, stored, and maintained so that its use does not present a health hazard to the user:  Nor-Ral, Inc. - on or about July 18, 2013,   The employer did not perform medical evaluations to ensure use of respirators would not create a hazard wher employees wore respirators in the workplace, including voluntary use of half-face air-purifying respirators when welding.  In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(c), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET).

Issued

Oct 24, 2013

Abate by

Nov 27, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:  Nor-Ral, Inc. - on or about July 18, 2013,   The employer did not perform medical evaluations where employees wore respirators in the workplace, to include the required use of a supplied-air hood respirator during painting and voluntary use of tight-fitting half-face air-purifying respirators when welding.  In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(c), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET).

Issued

Oct 24, 2013

Abate by

Nov 27, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $3,400 Reduced

Hazardous substances 068906910694

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(d)(1): The employer with a workplace or work operation covered by this standard did not determine the 8-hour time-weighted average exposure for each employee exposed to chromium (VI):  Nor-Ral, Inc. - on or about August 21, 2013, an initial determination for exposure to chromium (VI) was not performed where an employee performing welding and painting operations  was exposed to hexavalent chromium (chromium VI, CrVI) at 3.3 micrograms per cubic meter as an 8-hour TWA, which is above the action level of 2.5 micrograms per cubic meter as an 8-hour TWA .  The employee's exposure was monitored for 29 minutes of painting, with the remaining 451 minutes counted as zero exposure.  In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET), and in addition, documentation demonstrating that abatement is complete must be included with your certification. This documentation may include, but is not limited to, evidence of the purchase or repair of the equipment, photographic or video evidence of abatement, or other written records.

Issued

Oct 24, 2013

Abate by

Nov 27, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 068906910694

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(d)(2)(iii): Monitoring revealed employee exposures to chromium (VI) to be at or above the action level; however, the employer did not perform periodic monitoring at least every six months:  Nor-Ral, Inc. - on or about August 21, 2013, the employer did not perform periodic monitoring at least every six months  for exposure to chromium (VI) where an employee performing welding and painting operations was exposed to hexavalent chromium (chromium VI, CrVI) at 3.3 micrograms per cubic meter as an 8-hour TWA, which is above the action level of 2.5 micrograms per cubic meter as an 8-hour TWA .  The employee's exposure was monitored for 29 minutes of painting, with the remaining 451 minutes counted as zero exposure.  In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET), and in addition, documentation demonstrating that abatement is complete must be included with your certification. This documentation may include, but is not limited to, evidence of the purchase or repair of the equipment, photographic or video evidence of abatement, or other written records.

Issued

Oct 24, 2013

Abate by

Nov 27, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $2,500 Reduced

Hazardous substances 068906910694

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(i)(1): The employer did not provide change rooms, in conformance with the Sanitation standard, 29 CFR 1910.141, for employees who were required to change their clothes to use protective clothing and equipment for chromium (VI) exposures:  Nor-Ral, Inc. - on or about August 21, 2013, an employee was exposed to hexavalent chromium (chromium VI, CrVI) during painting.  A wipe sample of the employee's shirt worn under protective clothing showed evidence of hexavalent chromium exposure of 0.0836 micrograms.  In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET), and in addition, documentation demonstrating that abatement is complete must be included with your certification. This documentation may include, but is not limited to, evidence of the purchase or repair of the equipment, photographic or video evidence of abatement, or other written records.

Issued

Oct 24, 2013

Abate by

Nov 27, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $2,500 Reduced

Hazardous substances 068906910694

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(l)(2)(i): 29 CFR 1910.1026(l)(2)(i):  the employer did not provide training and information to ensure that employees could demonstrate knowledge of 29 CFR 1910.1026, and the purpose and a description of the medical surveillance program:  Nor-Ral, Inc. - on or about August 21, 2013, an employee was exposed to hexavalent chromium (chromium VI, CrVI) during painting operations.  The employer did not train the employee on the hazards of hexavalent chromium, or the contents of 29 CFR 1910.1026.  In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET), and in addition, documentation demonstrating that abatement is complete must be included with your certification. This documentation may include, but is not limited to, evidence of the purchase or repair of the equipment, photographic or video evidence of abatement, or other written records.

Issued

Oct 24, 2013

Abate by

Nov 27, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,100 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:   Nor-Ral, Inc. - on or about July 18, 2013, employees were exposed to hazardous chemicals in the workplace when applying paint, using solvents, and welding.  The employer did not develop and implement a written Hazard Communication program.  In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(c), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET).

Issued

Oct 24, 2013

Abate by

Nov 27, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 06890691

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3)(ii): Employee training did not include the physical and health hazards of the chemicals in the work area:  Nor-Ral, Inc. - on or about July 18, 2013, an employees applied a paint containing chromium compounds, including hexavalent chromium (chromium VI).  The employee was not aware that the paint contained chromium VI.  In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(c), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET).