OSHA Inspection: ART CASTINGS OF COLORADO

Issued

Sep 30, 2013

Abate by

Mar 31, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,700 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a):  Employees were exposed to copper fume, listed in Table Z-1, in excess of the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL):     (a)   Art Castings of Colorado, 511 8th St SE, Loveland, CO 80537:  On July 24, 2013 Art Castings of Colorado, did not ensure that employee exposure to copper fume did not exceed the 8 hour Time Weighted Average (TWA). Employee A was exposed to copper fume at a concentration greater than the 8 hour TWA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 0.10 mg/m3, while welding on stainless steel, and bronze statue pieces.  The employee was exposed to copper fume at a concentration of 0.163 mg/m3 as an 8 hour TWA.  This is approximately 1.6 times the PEL.  Air monitoring was conducted for 478 minutes.      Abatement Note:  Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

Sep 30, 2013

Abate by

Mar 31, 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 described in 29 CFR 1910.1000(a) through (d):     (a)   Art Castings of Colorado, 511 8th St SE, Loveland, CO 80537:  On July 24, 2013 Art Castings of Colorado, did not ensure that employee exposure to copper fume did not exceed the 8 hour Time Weighted Average (TWA). Employee A was exposed to copper fume at a concentration greater than the 8 hour TWA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 0.10 mg/m3.  The employee was exposed to copper fume at a concentration of 0.163 mg/m3 as an 8 hour TWA.  This is approximately 1.6 times the PEL.  Air monitoring was conducted for 478 minutes.    Abatement Note:  Feasible engineering controls include, but are not limited to:      1)                  Local exhaust ventilation; and      2)                  Ensuring the general ventilation of the area is adequate, and      3)                  Increasing the general ventilation system in the area.     STEP 1:           Effective respiratory protection shall be provided and used by exposed employees as an interim protective measure until feasible engineering and/or administrative controls can be implemented or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee exposure to within exposure limits.       STEP 1 ABATEMENT (30 DAYS):  October 30, 2013                          STEP 2:           Submit to the Area Director a written detailed plan of abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measures to control employee exposures to silica. The plan shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the following actions which should be consistent with the dates required by this citation:      (a)    Evaluation of the extent and location of the hazard source      (b)   Evaluation of control measure options      (c)    Selection of optimum control measures      (d)   Determination of control measure design      (e)    Ordering and delivery of equipment      (f)    Installation of control measures      (g)   Training of employees in proper operation and maintenance of newly implemented control measures      (h)   Assurance of the effective performance of control measures      All proposed control measures shall be evaluated for each particular use but a competent Industrial Hygienist or other technically qualified person. Thirty (30) day progress reports are required during the abatement period. The progress report must identify the action taken to achieve abatement and the date the action was taken.       STEP 2 ABATEMENT DATE (60 DAYS): November 29, 2013        Step 3:             Abatement will be completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls and upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.       STEP 3 ABATEMENT DATE (90 DAYS): December 30, 2013    Abatement Note:  Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").