OSHA Inspection: JW FLOORING, INC.

Issued

Sep 23, 2013

Abate by

Oct 18, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,400 · Current $1,680 Reduced

Hazardous substances C730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.20(b)(2): The employer did not initiate and maintain a safety program which provides for frequent and regular inspections of jobsites, materials, and equipment to be made by a competent person (i.e., a person who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards and has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them):   (a) For example, at the Playmakers store renovation worksite, adequate inspection was not made on July 15, 2013 regarding to the hazard of carbon monoxide emitted by operation of the propane-powered Hurricane (serial # HU-573) floor removal machine used by JW Flooring, Inc..  Installers of JW Flooring, Inc. and carpenters of Hetzel-Sanfilippo, Inc. were exposed to carbon monoxide concentrations in excess of the OSHA permissible exposure limit of 50 parts per million (as referenced in Citation 1, Item 2a). Because of the odorless and colorless properties of carbon monoxide, detection of carbon monoxide would have required air monitoring.  However, no air monitoring was done by the employer to ensure that workers at this worksite were not exposed to hazardous concentrations.

Issued

Sep 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,400 · Current $1,680 Reduced

Hazardous substances C730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.55(a): Employee(s) were exposed to carbon monoxide at concentrations above those specified in the Threshold Limit Values of Airborne Contaminants for 1970 of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists:   (a) On July 15, 2013, Installer #1, employed by FW Flooring, Inc., while operating a propane powered floor removal machine during the renovation of the Playmakers store located at 5325 W. Fond du Lac Ave., Milwaukee, WI, was exposed to an average Carbon Monoxide concentration of 318 ppm for a period of approximately 270 minutes.  This worker's 8-hour Time Weighted Average exposure to Carbon Monoxide was approximately 179 ppm, which exceeded the OSHA permissible exposure limit  of 50 ppm by approximately 3.58 times.  The 8-hour Time Weighted Average calculation assumed zero Carbon Monoxide exposure for the remainder of the 8 hour work day (approximately 210 minutes).  Employee Carbon Monoxide exposure concentration was determined by the post-exposure carboxyhemoglobin measurement.    (b) On July 15, 2013, Installer #2, employed by FW Flooring, Inc., while hauling out carpeting and floor debris during the renovation of the Playmakers store located at 5325 W. Fond du Lac Ave., Milwaukee, WI, was exposed to an average Carbon Monoxide concentration of 307 ppm for a period of approximately 255 minutes.  This worker's 8-hour Time Weighted Average exposure to Carbon Monoxide was approximately 163 ppm, which exceeded the OSHA permissible exposure limit of 50 ppm by approximately 3.26 times.  The 8-hour Time Weighted Average calculation assumed zero Carbon Monoxide exposure for the remainder of the 8 hour work day (approximately 225 minutes).  Employee Carbon Monoxide exposure concentration was determined by the post-exposure carboxyhemoglobin measurement.    (c) On July 15, 2013, Installer #3, employed by FW Flooring, Inc., while cleaning up tile and carpet debris and hauling out to dumpster during the renovation of the Playmakers store located at 5325 W. Fond du Lac Ave., Milwaukee, WI, was exposed to an average Carbon Monoxide concentration of 448 ppm for a period of approximately 270 minutes.  This worker's 8-hour Time Weighted Average exposure to Carbon Monoxide was 252 ppm, which exceeded the OSHA permissible exposure limit of 50 ppm by approximately 5.04 times.  The 8-hour Time Weighted Average calculation assumed zero Carbon Monoxide exposure for the remainder of the 8 hour work day (approximately 210 minutes).   Employee Carbon Monoxide exposure concentration was determined by the post-exposure carboxyhemoglobin measurement.   (d) On July 15, 2013, Carpenter #1 (Foreman), employed by Hetzel-Sanfilippo, Inc., while performing partial interior wall demolition during the renovation of the Playmakers store located at 5325 W. Fond du Lac Ave., Milwaukee, WI, was exposed to an average Carbon Monoxide concentration of 222 ppm for a period of approximately 210 minutes.  This worker's 8-hour Time Weighted Average exposure to Carbon Monoxide was 97.3 ppm, which exceeded the OSHA permissible exposure  limit of 50 ppm by approximately 1.95 times.  The 8-hour Time Weighted Average calculation assumed zero Carbon Monoxide exposure for the remainder of the 8 hour work day (approximately 270 minutes).  Employee Carbon Monoxide exposure concentration was determined by the post-exposure carboxyhemoglobin measurement.   (e) On July 15, 2013, Carpenter #2, employed by Hetzel-Sanfilippo, Inc., while performing partial interior wall demolition  while performing partial interior wall demolition during the renovation of the Playmakers store located at 5325 W. Fond du Lac Ave., Milwaukee, WI, was exposed to an average Carbon Monoxide concentration of 252 ppm for a period of approximately 195 minutes.  This worker's 8-hour Time Weighted Average exposure to Carbon Monoxide was 102 ppm which exceeded the the OSHA permissible exposure limit of 50 ppm by approximately 2.05 times.  The 8-hour Time Weighted Average calculation assumed zero Carbon Monoxide exposure for the remainder of the 8 hour work day (approximately 285 minutes).  employee Carbon Monoxide exposure concentration was determined by the post-exposure carboxyhemoglobin measurement.  (f) On July 15, 2013, Carpenter #3, employed by Hetzel-Sanfilippo, Inc., while performing partial interior wall demolition during the renovation of the Playmakers store located at 5325 W. Fond du Lac Ave., Milwaukee, WI, was exposed to an average Carbon Monoxide concentration of 286 ppm for a period of approximately 210 minutes.  This worker's 8-hour Time Weighted Average exposure to Carbon Monoxide was 125 ppm  which exceeded the OSHA permissible exposure limit of 50 ppm by approximately 2.50 times.  The 8-hour Time Weighted Average calculation assumed zero Carbon Monoxide exposure for the remainder of the 8 hour work day (approximately 270 minutes).  Employee Carbon Monoxide exposure concentration was determined by the post-exposure carboxyhemoglobin measurement.  (g) On July 15, 2013, Carpenter #4. employed by Hetzel-Sanfilippo, Inc., while performing partial interior wall demolition during the renovation of the Playmakers store located at 5325 W. Fond du Lac Ave., Milwaukee, WI, was exposed to an average Carbon Monoxide concentration of 235 ppm for a period of approximately 285 minutes.  This worker's 8-hour Time Weighted Average exposure to Carbon Monoxide was 139 ppm which exceeded the OSHA permissible exposure limit of 50 ppm by approximately 2.78 times.  The 8-hour Time Weighted Average calculation assumed zero Carbon Monoxide  exposure for the remainder of the 8 hour work day (approximately 195 minutes).  Emplyee Carbon Monoxide exposure concentration was determined by the post-exposure carboxyhemoglobin measurement.

Issued

Sep 23, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.55(b): Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not implemented to reduce employee exposures: (a) On July 15, 2013, at the Playmakers store renovation worksite, located at 5325 W. Fond du Lac Ave., Milwaukee, WI, administrative or engineering controls were not in place to prevent the three Installers, employees of FW Flooring, Inc. and 4 Carpenters, employees of Hetzel-Sanfilippo, Inc. (as referenced in Citation 1, Item 1a) from having 8 Hour Time Weighted Average carbon monoxide exposures in excess of the OSHA permissible exposure limit of 50 ppm.

Issued

Sep 23, 2013

Abate by

Nov 8, 2013

Penalty

Initial $2,400 · Current $1,680 Reduced

Hazardous substances C730

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 (Construction Reference: 1926.59):  (a) At the Playmakers store renovation site, installers of JW Flooring, Inc. used a Hurricane propane-powered floor removal machine.  These workers were potentially exposed to the hazards of propane, and were exposed to concentrations of carbon monoxide which exceeded the OSHA permissible exposure limit.  The JW Flooring, Inc. Safety Manual on page 2 included a section on Hazard communication, but it did not include a description of how information and training would be provided to workers regarding the hazardous chemicals present in the worksite (including, but not limited to, propane and carbon monoxide).

Issued

Sep 23, 2013

Abate by

Nov 8, 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 their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area: (Construction Reference: 1926.59)   (a) Adequate information and training were not provided regarding the hazards of the chemicals in the work area.  For example, on July 15, 2013, installers at the Playmakers store renovation worksite were exposed to concentrations of Carbon Monoxide in excess of the permissible exposure limit, but information and training were not provided regarding this chemical hazard.   (b) Workers were not informed of work operations, such as use of a propane-powered floor removal machine, that could result in exposure to Carbon Monoxide.     (c) Training was not provided on what methods could be used to detect the presence of Carbon Monoxide.  Because Carbon Monoxide is odorless and colorless, detection of Carbon Monoxide would require use of air monitoring equipment.  However, workers were not trained on the use of air monitoring equipment, nor was such equipment provided by the employer.   (d) Training was not provided regarding the physical and health hazards of the chemicals in the work area.  For example, workers were not trained regarding the health effects of Carbon Monoxide exposure, which could include fatigue, headache, dizziness, nausea, fainting, or death.   (e) Training was not provided regarding precautionary measures workers could take to protect themselves from these hazards.  For example, at the Playmakers worksite on July 15, 2013,  workers were not trained on steps to follow to prevent accumulation of hazardous concentrations of Carbon Monoxide in the worksite.