OSHA Inspection: READING ALLOYS, INC.

Issued

Oct 29, 2014

Abate by

Nov 25, 2014

Penalty

Initial $6,000 · Current $4,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(4)(iii): An evaluation of each powered industrial truck operator's performance was not being conducted at least once every three years:    a)  On or about September 9, 2014, the employer had not re-evaluated a process operator who operates forklifts throughout the plant since January of 2009.    b)  On or about September 9, 2014, the employer had not re-evaluated in the past three years a process operator near the Molybdenum/Aluminum line who operates forklifts.    Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Oct 29, 2014

Abate by

Dec 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $3,750 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0720A110

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2): Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of cobalt dust listed in Table Z-1 in excess of the 8 hour Time Weighted Average concentration of .1 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m(3)):    a)  Building #11 - An employee, sizing cobalt alloy powders, was exposed to airborne cobalt at an 8-hour Time Weighted Average (TWA) of .9733 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m(3)), 9.73 times the limit of .1 mg/m(3), the limit established to prevent cobalt poisoning. The sampling was performed for 344 minutes during one work shift on June 10, 2014.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled time period of 136 minutes.      Abatement certification and documentation required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement. Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photographic or video evidence of abatement or other written records.

Issued

Oct 29, 2014

Abate by

Dec 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0720A110

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)  Building #11 - The employer did not implement adequate feasible administrative and engineering controls to reduce employees' exposure to cobalt alloy powders, as evident by the fact that an employee was exposed to cobalt alloy powders in excess of the Permissible Exposure Limit of .1 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m(3)), and the employer did not ensure the enclosures for the cobalt alloy-sizing machines were maintained to prevent fugitive metal dust emissions from reaching employees' breathing zones, on or about June 10, 2014.    Abatement certification and documentation required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement. Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photographic or video evidence of abatement or other written records.

Issued

Oct 29, 2014

Abate by

Nov 25, 2014

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $3,750 Reduced

Hazardous substances 05202587

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(6)(ii): Except as provided in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(7) and 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(8), the employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged or marked with the product identifier and words, pictures, symbols, or combination thereof, which provide at least general information regarding the hazards of the chemicals and which, in conjunction with the other information immediately available to employees under the hazard communication program, would provide employees with the specific information regarding the physical and health hazards of the hazardous chemical(s):     a)  Waste Water Treatment Plant - On or about September 11, 2014, the employer, producing powdered metal alloys, had not identified the contents for the hazardous chemical in the bulk tote next to the Calcium Oxide, Lime, hopper, containing Iron Sulfate, an acidifying agent used to adjust the waste water pH, or the contents of all of the large bulk tanks of the treated cooling water for return to the plant melt lines.      Abatement certification and documentation required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement. Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photographic or video evidence of abatement or other written records.

Issued

Oct 29, 2014

Abate by

Nov 25, 2014

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $5,250 Reduced

Hazardous substances 05202587

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.602(c)(1)(vi): All industrial trucks in use did not meet the applicable requirements of design, construction, stability, inspection, testing, maintenance, and operation, as defined in American National Standards Institute B56.1-1969, Safety Standards for Powered Industrial Trucks.    a)  Waste Water Treatment Plant - On or about May 2, 2014, a subcontractor, torch cutting the center out of the baseplate of a lime feeder bin, passed under the elevated portion of the Komatsu FG40ZTU-10 LP forklift, SN 135952, to perform his work.  ANSI B56.1 1969, Part III, For the User, Section 603 B, Operating Rules and Practices states: "Do not allow anyone to stand or pass under the elevated portion of any truck, whether loaded or empty."    b) Waste Water Treatment Plant - On or about May 2, 2014, the forklift operator, also acting as fire watch for a torch cutting operation, had dismounted and left the view of the Komatsu FG40ZTU-10 LP forklift, SN 135952, and the load engaging means were not fully lowered.  ANSI B56.1 1969, Part III, For the User, Section 603 B, Operating Rules and Practices states: "When leaving a powered industrial truck unattended, load engaging means shall be fully lowered, controls shall be neutralized, power shut off, brakes set, key or connector plug removed."      Abatement certification and documentation required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement. Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photographic or video evidence of abatement or other written records.

Issued

Oct 29, 2014

Abate by

Dec 31, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 05200686068907200731

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.141(g)(2): Employees were permitted to consume food or beverage in area(s) exposed to toxic materials:    a)  In the Lunchroom - On or about September 11, 2014, the employer, producing powdered metal alloys, had allowed employees to consume food and beverages in the Lunchroom, an area allowed to accumulate copper and vanadium, toxic materials.    Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.