OSHA Inspection: UNIVERSAL WASTE SOLUTIONS, LLC

Issued

Nov 20, 2014

Abate by

Feb 16, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $2,800

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1)(i): The employer did not select and have each affected employee use the types of personal protective equipment that would protect the affected employee(s) from the hazards identified in the hazard assessment:    a) Universal Waste Services, LLC (Glass Cutting Area and Disassembly Area)  - The employer did not provide employees with cut-resistant sleeves to protect their arms and wrists while they were handling the glass cathode ray tubes (CRT's) with the ends of the tubes broken off.  The employees were exposed to injuries from the broken glass. Observed on or about 5/21/14.      b) Universal Waste Services, LLC (Glass Cutting Area) - The employer did not provide protective clothing for employees, exposing employees to lead.  Wipe samples of the shirt worn under an outer shirt by an employee working in the Glass Cutting Area contained lead.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.    c) Universal Waste Services, LLC (Warehouse and Employee Break Room) - The employer did not provide protective shoe coverings for employees, exposing them to lead.  Wipe samples of cardboard mats employees stood on, the floor in the Disassembly Area, the floor and rug in the employee break room, and on the top of a shoe worn by an employee working in the Glass Cutting Area contained lead.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.

Issued

Nov 20, 2014

Abate by

Feb 16, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(2): The employer did not verify that the required workplace hazard assessment has been performed through a written certification that identifies the workplace evaluated, the person certifying that the evaluation has been performed, the  date(s) of the hazard assessment; and, which identifies the document as a certification of hazard assessment:    a) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Warehouse) - The employer did not certify the hazard assessment which determined that hazards were present and personal protective equipment was required for employees performing Glass Cutting, Disassembly, and Demanufacturing operations through a written certification.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.

Issued

Nov 20, 2014

Abate by

Feb 16, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $2,100

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.157(c)(1): Portable fire extinguishers were not mounted, located and identified so that they were readily accessible without subjecting the employees to injuries:    a) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Warehouse) -  A portable fire extinguisher mounted on the wall near the loading docks was blocked by Gaylord boxes full of computer equipment.  The employer did not ensure the fire extinguisher was readily accessible, exposing employees to fire hazards.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.      b) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Warehouse) -  A portable fire extinguisher on the floor between a support beam and the stairway to the office area was not mounted on the wall, exposing employees to fire hazards.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.      c) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Employee Break Room) -  A portable fire extinguisher was on the floor was not mounted on the wall, exposing employees to fire hazards.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.

Issued

Nov 20, 2014

Abate by

Feb 16, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.157(e)(2): Portable fire extinguishers were not visually inspected at least monthly:     a) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC - The employer did not ensure that four portable fire extinguishers in the warehouse and one portable fire extinguisher in the employee break room were visually inspected at least monthly.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.

Issued

Nov 20, 2014

Abate by

Feb 16, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.157(e)(3): Portable fire extinguishers were not subjected to an annual maintenance check:    a) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC - The employer did not ensure that portable fire extinguishers received an annual maintenance check.  Four portable fire extinguishers were in the warehouse and one portable fire extinguisher was in the employee break room.  The employer did not ensure that the extinguishers received annual maintenance checks.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.

Issued

Nov 20, 2014

Abate by

Feb 16, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $2,800

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.176(b): Material stored in tiers was not stacked, blocked, interlocked or limited in height so that it was stable and secure against sliding and collapse:    a) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Warehouse) - Gaylord boxes containing computer parts were stacked three high on pallets without adequate support as the boxes were tilting and sliding. The employer did not ensure the materials were stored in a stable manner, exposing employees to injury. Observed on or about 5/21/14.      b)  Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Demanufacturing Area) - A chair, a portable kerosene heater, a pallet and computer monitors were placed on top of stacks approximately five (5) to eight (8) feet high of shrink wrapped computer equipment and were not secured. The employer did not ensure the materials were stored in a stable manner, exposing employees to injury.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.      c) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Demanufacturing Area) - Stacks of shrink wrapped computers and monitors were not limited in height and extended up to approximately ten (10) feet. The employer did not ensure that the materials were stored in a stable manner, exposing employees to injury.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.

Issued

Nov 20, 2014

Abate by

Feb 16, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $2,100

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(g)(1)(iv)(A): Flexible cords and/or cables were used as a substitute for the fixed wiring of a structure:    a) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Disassembly Area) - The employer did not install fixed wiring, exposing employees to electrical and trip hazards.  Flexible cords were plugged into a relocatable power tap.  The cord from a second relocatable power tap was plugged into the first relocatable power tap.  A microwave oven and a third relocatable power tap were plugged into the second relocatable power tap.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.      b) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Demanufacturing Area) - The employer did not install fixed wiring, exposing employees to electrical hazards.  A refrigerator and other appliances were plugged into a relocatable power tap which was hanging along the wall.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.      c) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Glass Cutting Area) - The employer did not install fixed wiring, exposing employees to electrical and trip hazards.  The vacuum cleaner cord was plugged into a relocatable power tap which was plugged into an outlet on the side of the glass cutting machine.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.      d) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Glass Cutting Area) - The employer did not install fixed wiring exposing employees to electrical and trip hazards.  The flexible cord from portable lights were plugged into a relocatable power tap hanging above the floor on the side of the glass cutting machine.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.

Issued

Nov 20, 2014

Abate by

Feb 16, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $2,800

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(h)(1): All surfaces were not maintained as free as practicable of accumulations of lead:    a) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Warehouse and Employee Break Room) - Employees were exposed to dust containing lead which was present in work areas and surfaces.  Lead dust concentrations ranged from 10 to 4287 micrograms in a 100 square centimeter area.   Observed on or about 5/21/14.

Issued

Nov 20, 2014

Abate by

Feb 16, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(h)(2)(ii): Shoveling, sweeping or brushing methods were used to remove lead accumulations where vacuuming or other equally effective methods were available and feasible:    a) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Glass Cutting Area) - Employees used brushes and brooms to dry sweep the work surface in the glass cutting enclosures and the floor and other surfaces in the glass cutting area, exposing employees to lead.  Wipe samples of the surface inside the glass cutting machine enclosure, the cardboard mat on the floor in front of the glass cutting machine, and a work table contained lead.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.      b) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Disassembly Area) - Employees used brushes to clean their work tables and brooms to dry sweep the floor, exposing employees to lead.  Wipe samples of an employee's work table and the floor contained lead.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.      c) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Demanufacturing Area) - Employees used brushes to clean their work tables and brooms to dry sweep the floor, exposing employees to lead.  Wipe samples on the cardboard mat an employee stood on and on the table at employees' work stations contained lead.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.

Issued

Nov 20, 2014

Abate by

Feb 16, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(h)(3): Vacuums were not used and/or emptied in a manner which minimized the reentry of lead into the workplace:    a) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Glass Cutting Area) - Employees cleaned the glass cutting machine and other surfaces with a RIDGID shop vacuum which contained a filter made of HEPA material.  The filter and the vacuum were not HEPA certified exposing employees to lead.  A wipe sample taken on 5/21/14 on top of the vacuum contained lead.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.

Issued

Nov 20, 2014

Abate by

Feb 16, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1591

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) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Warehouse) - Employees were exposed to airborne lead and the employer did not inform them of the content of Appendices A and B of the OSHA Lead Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1025.  Employee exposure monitoring was conducted on 9/12/14 and 9/24/14 for employees working in the Disassembly and Glass Cutting Areas. Observed on or about 5/21/14.

Issued

Nov 20, 2014

Abate by

Feb 16, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $2,800

Hazardous substances 1591

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:    a) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Warehouse) - Employees were exposed to lead during the glass cutting operation, the disassembly of cathode ray tubes (CRTs), and the demanufacturing of computers.  The employer did not develop and implement a written hazard communication program in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.1200.  Wipe samples indicated that that lead was present on surfaces, ranging from 49 to 4287 micrograms in a 100 square centimeter area.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.

Issued

Nov 20, 2014

Abate by

Feb 16, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1591

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:    a) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Warehouse) - Employees were not provided with effective information and training concerning  the presence and hazards of lead in their work area.  Wipe samples taken on 5/9/14, 5/21/14, and 9/24/14 in the Glass Cutting Area, the Disassembly Area and the Demanufacturing Area contained lead.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.

Issued

Nov 20, 2014

Abate by

Dec 10, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1591

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 29 CFR 1910.134, in written or oral format to employees who wear respirators when such use was not required by the employer:  a) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Warehouse) - The employer provided employees with Medline N95 respirators for voluntarily use and did not provide employees with the information in Appendix D of the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134).  Observed on or about 5/21/14.

Issued

Nov 20, 2014

Abate by

Dec 10, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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) Universal Waste Solutions (Warehouse) - The employer did not ensure that a forklift operator's performance was evaluated at least once every three years.  A forklift operator was certified on February 11, 2011, and his operation of the forklift had not been re-evaluated within three years.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.

Issued

Nov 20, 2014

Abate by

Dec 10, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(g)(2)(iii): Flexible cords and cables were not connected to devices and fittings so that strain relief was provided that would prevent pull from being directly transmitted to joints or terminal screws:  a) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Disassembly Area) - A flexible cord from a microwave oven was plugged into a relocatable power tap which was suspended above the floor by the cord from the microwave.  Strain relief was not provided to the cords, exposing employees to electrical hazards.   Observed on or about 5/21/14.   b) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Demanufacturing Area) - The cord from a relocatable power tap hanging along the wall and the cords of refrigerators and other appliances plugged into it were not provided with strain relief, exposing employees to electrical hazards.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.   c) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Glass Cutting Area) - The flexible cord from portable lights next to the glass cutting machine was plugged into a hanging relocatable power tap.  The flexible cord from the relocatable power tap and the flexible cord from the lights were not provided with strain relief, exposing employees to electrical hazards.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.  d) Universal Waste Solutions, LLC (Glass Cutting Area) - The flexible cord from the PSI Woodworking Heavy Duty Dust Collection System was plugged into a hanging pendant.  The cords from the Woodworking Machine Dust Collection System and the hanging pendant were not provided with strain relief, exposing employees to hazards.  Observed on or about 5/21/14.