OSHA Inspection: BLASTCO TEXAS INC

Issued

Oct 22, 2014

Abate by

Nov 26, 2014

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(1): The employer did not establish and maintain an audiometric testing program as provided in this paragraph by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels.      At the facility, the employer did not conduct or maintain an audiometric testing program when employees were exposed to continuous noise exposures equaled or exceeded an 8-hour time-weighted average of 90 decibels.

Issued

Oct 22, 2014

Abate by

Nov 26, 2014

Penalty

Initial $3,570 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(a): Application. Protective equipment, including personal protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices, and protective shields and barriers, was not provided, used, and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever it is necessary by reason of hazards of processes or environment, chemical hazards, radiological hazards, or mechanical irritants encountered in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation or physical contact.    At Containment Area 1; the employer did not provide employees with personal protective equipment while working with coal slag which contained substances such as but not limited to copper fume, molybdenum, manganese, zinc, beryllium, iron, vanadium, lead, cobalt metal dust & fume, and chromium during coal slag cleanup. Employees were exposed to contact and inhalation hazards.

Issued

Oct 22, 2014

Abate by

Nov 26, 2014

Penalty

Initial $3,570 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2): Other substances -- 8-hour Time Weighted Averages. An employee's exposure to any substance in Table Z-1, the exposure limit of which is not preceded by a "C", exceeded the 8-hour Time Weighted Average given for that substance any 8-hour work shift of a 40-hour work week.     At Containment Area 2; an employee was exposed to airborne concentration levels of Particulate Not Otherwise Regulated (respirable fraction) at 7.30000 mg/m3 (8 hour time-weighted average) while performing coal slag blasting operations. This exposure level is 1.46 times the OSHA permissible exposure limit of 5.000 milligrams per cubic meter. Sampling was performed on 6/11/14 during a normal work shift for a period of 278 minutes.

Issued

Oct 22, 2014

Abate by

Nov 26, 2014

Penalty

Initial $3,570 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(3): The employer did not designate a program administrator who is qualified by appropriate training or experience that is commensurate with the complexity of the program to administer or oversee the respiratory protection program and conduct the required evaluations of program effectiveness.     At Containment area 2; the employer did not designate a qualified Respirator program administrator to administer the respirator program and evaluate the respirator program effectiveness, exposing employees to inhalation hazards.

Issued

Oct 22, 2014

Abate by

Nov 26, 2014

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(i)(4)(ii): Cylinders of purchased breathing air did not have a certificate of analysis from the supplier that the breathing air meets the requirements for Grade D breathing air.   At Containment area 2; the employer did not ensure that employees who performed coal slag blasting breathing air had a certificate of analysis that met Grade D breathing air requirements, exposing employees to inhalation hazards.