OSHA Inspection: SPECIALTY PLATING, INC.

Issued

May 8, 2014

Abate by

Jun 12, 2014

Penalty

Initial $1,360 · Current $816 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.133(a)(1): The employer did not ensure that each affected employee used appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation:     (a)Specialty Plating Inc. at 2340 S Delaware Street, Denver, CO: On and preceding 4/2/14, Specialty Plating Inc. did not ensure that each affected employee used appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from liquid chemicals or acids.  Employees manually placed parts into tanks containing liquid chemicals or acids, including but not limited to Henkel Surface Technologies Alodine 1500 (containing chromic acid) and Haviland Products Co Havacoat (containing chromic acid).  Employees wore safety glasses when performing these tasks.  Safety glasses do not protect the wearer from a splash of a liquid chemical or acid.  The employer did not ensure that appropriate eye protection was used.  This condition exposed employees to a chemical hazard.

Issued

May 8, 2014

Abate by

Jun 12, 2014

Penalty

Initial $1,360 · Current $816 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.141(g)(4):  Food or beverages were stored in area(s) exposed to toxic material(s):    (a)Specialty Plating Inc. at 2340 S Delaware Street, Denver, CO: On 3/18/14, Specialty Plating Inc did not ensure that food or beverages were stored in an area exposed to toxic materials.  A bottle of water was stored on a workbench in the Electroplating Area.  The Electroplating Area contained chemicals, including but not limited to Haviland Products Co Havacoat (containing 20-20% chromic acid), copper cyanide, and silver potassium cyanide.  The employer did not ensure that beverages were not stored in an area where toxic materials were stored and used.  This condition exposed employees to a chemical hazard.                                                            OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE    29 CFR 1910.1026(i)(5): Employees stored food, beverages, chewing tobacco, gum or cosmetics in areas where skin or eye contact with chromium (VI) occurs:    (a)Specialty Plating Inc. at 2340 S Delaware Street, Denver, CO: On 3/18/14, Specialty Plating Inc did not ensure that employees did not store food, beverages, chewing tobacco, gum or cosmetics in areas where skin or eye contact with chromium (VI) occured.  A bottle of water was stored on a workbench in the Electroplating Area.  The Electroplating Area contained chemicals, including but not limited to Haviland Products Co Havacoat (containing 20-20% chromic acid).  The employer did not ensure that beverages were not stored in an area where contact with chromium (VI) may occur.  This condition exposed employees to a chromium (VI) hazard.

Issued

May 8, 2014

Abate by

Jun 12, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(6)(i):  The employer did not obtain from the PLHCP a written recommendation regarding the employees ability to use the respirator:  (a) Specialty Plating Inc. at 2340 S Delaware Street, Denver, CO: On and preceding 4/2/14, Specialty Plating Inc 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.  Employees wore 3M model 5300 half mask tight fitting air purifying respirators with multi-gas cartridges when adding chemicals to tanks containing corrosive liquids.  The employer did not obtain from a PLHCP a written recommendation regarding employee ability to use the respirator.  This condition potentially exposed employees to a respiratory hazard.

Issued

May 8, 2014

Abate by

Jun 12, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(g)(1)(i)(A):  Respirators with tight-fitting facepieces were worn by employees who had facial hair that came between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interfered with valve function:  (a)Specialty Plating Inc. at 2340 S Delaware Street, Denver, CO: On and preceding 4/2/14, respirators with tight-fitting facepieces were worn by employees who had facial hair that came between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interfered with valve function.  Employees added chemicals to tanks of corrosive liquids.  One employee wore a 3M model 5300 half mask air purifying respirator with multi-gas cartridges while adding chemicals.   The employee had facial hair that came between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face of the employee.  The employer did not ensure that the employee's facial hair did not interfere with the seal of the respirator.  This condition potentially exposed the employee to a respiratory hazard.

Issued

May 8, 2014

Abate by

Jun 4, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(6): The employer did not provide the basic advisory information on respirators, as presented in Appendix D of this section, in any written or oral format to employees who wear respirators when such use is not required by this section or by the employer:  (a)Specialty Plating Inc. at 2340 S Delaware Street, Denver, CO: On and preceding 4/2/14, Specialty Plating Inc did not provide the basic advisory information on respirators, as presented in Appendix D of this section, in any written or oral format to employees who wear respirators when such use is not required by this section or by the employer.  The employee allowed employees to wear Radnor model 64059510 N95 filtering facepiece respirators when working in the Anodize and Chromate Area and the Electroplating Area.   The employer did not provide voluntary users of the filtering facepiece respirators the basic advisory information as presented in Appendix D.  This condition potentially exposed the employees to a respiratory hazard.

Issued

May 8, 2014

Abate by

Jun 12, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(h)(1): The employer did not provide appropriate personal protective clothing and equipment at no cost to employees and did not ensure that employees use such clothing and equipment, where a hazard is likely to be present from skin or eye contact with chromium (VI):  (a)Specialty Plating Inc, at 2340 S Delaware Street, Denver, CO: On and preceding 4/2/14, Specialty Plating Inc did not provide appropriate personal protective clothing at no cost to employees and did not ensure that employees use such clothing, where a hazard is likely to be present from skin or eye contact with chromium (VI).  Employees used Henkel Surface Technologies Alodine 1500 in the Anodize and Chromate Area.  Alodine 1500 contains chromic acid.  Chromic acid contains chromium (VI).  Air sampling detected the presence of chromium (VI).  The employer did not provide employees protective clothing.  This condition potentially exposed employees to a hexavalent chromium hazard.  (b)Specialty Plating Inc, at 2340 S Delaware Street, Denver, CO: On and preceding 4/2/14, Specialty Plating Inc did not provide appropriate personal protective clothing at no cost to employees and did not ensure that employees use such clothing, where a hazard is likely to be present from skin or eye contact with chromium (VI).  Employees used Haviland Products Co Havacoat in the Electroplating Area.  Havacoat contains chromic acid.  Chromic acid contains chromium (VI).  Air sampling detected the presence of chromium (VI).  The employer did not provide employees protective clothing.  This condition potentially exposed employees to a hexavalent chromium hazard.