OSHA Inspection: ERVIN AMASTEEL

Issued

Jul 11, 2014

Abate by

Mar 13, 2015

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $4,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(c): Employees were exposed to silica, respirable quartz, in excess of the 8-hour time weighted average limit listed in Table Z-3:    a)  Furnace Area, on or about May 22, 2014 - An employee designated as a Refractory Repairman was exposed to silica, respirable quartz, at a time weighted average exposure of 1.48 mg/m3 (milligrams per cubic meter of air).  This level is 1.21 times the permissible exposure limit of 1.22 mg/m3 as a time weighted average concentration.  Sampling was performed by an OSHA compliance officer on 05/22/14 for 395 minutes and zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled portion of the shift.      b)  Furnace Area, on or about May 22, 2014 - An employee designated as a Refractory Repairman was exposed to silica, respirable quartz, at a time weighted average exposure of 1.79 mg/m3 (milligrams per cubic meter of air).  This level is 1.54 times the permissible exposure limit of 1.16 mg/m3 as a time weighted average concentration.  Sampling was performed by an OSHA compliance officer on 05/22/14 for 391 minutes and zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled portion of the shift.

Issued

Jul 11, 2014

Abate by

Mar 13, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9010

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)  Furnace Area, on or about May 22, 2014 - The employer did not implement feasible administrative or engineering controls when employees were exposed to silica, respirable quartz above the permissible exposure limit.  (See description of employee exposures in Citation 1, Item 1a, Instances a and b).    Feasible engineering controls would include but not be limited to:    1.  Utilizing mechanical/remote/robotic equipment to remove refractories, scale and build-up of furnace lining;    2.  Utilizing jackhammer shrouds and vacuum dust control systems;    3.  Utilizing jackhammers with attached water spray control systems;  and/or    4.  Utilizing employee rotation as an administrative control.

Issued

Jul 11, 2014

Penalty

Initial $2,700 · Current $1,400 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.23(e)(1): Standard railing(s) did not consist of top rail, intermediate rail and/or posts and/or did not have a vertical height of 42 inches (106.7 cm) nominal from upper surface of top rail to floor, platform runway, or ramp level:    a)  Furnace Area, on or about May 22, 2014 - The railing over the tap out trough from the furnace was not a standard railing in that it did not have an intermediate rail.

Issued

Jul 11, 2014

Abate by

Aug 15, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1592

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(l)(1)(i): Employee(s) working in an area where there is potential exposure to airborne lead at any level were not informed of the content of Appendices A and B of 29 CFR 1910.1025:  a)  Furnace Area, on or about May 22, 2014 - The employer did not inform employees of the content of Appendices A and B of 29 CFR 1910.1025, the Lead Standard, when employees were exposed to airborne lead.