OSHA Inspection: CONCRETE & MASONRY RESTORATION, LLC

Issued

Oct 17, 2014

Abate by

May 15, 2015

Penalty

Initial $3,850 · Current $3,850

Hazardous substances 9010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(1)(iii): The employer did not identify and evaluate the respiratory hazard(s) in the workplace; including a reasonable estimate of employee exposures to respiratory hazards and identification of the contaminant's chemical state and physical form:     On or about June 19, 2014, employees silica exposures were not evaluated:  a)  Employee, vapor blasting concrete, silica quartz exposure was 169.1 mppcf, as an 8 hour time weighted average,   6.36 times the permissible exposure limit.  The employee was sampled on June 25, 2014 for 420 minutes, the remaining 60 minutes was calculated as 0 (zero) exposure time.     b)  Employee, operating the vapor blaster, silica quartz exposure was 174.5 mppcf, as an 8 hour time weighted average, 6.45 times the permissible exposure limit.  The employee was sampled on June 25, 2014 for 411 minutes, the remaining 69 minutes was calculated as 0 (zero) exposure time.

Issued

Oct 17, 2014

Abate by

May 15, 2015

Penalty

Initial $3,850 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.55(a): Employee(s) were exposed to material(s) at concentrations above those specified in the Threshold Limit Values of Airborne Contaminants for 1970 of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists:    a) On June 25, 2014 at the State Street Parking Ramp located at 214 North Carroll Street, Madison WI, an employee was vapor blasting concrete inside an enclosure.  The employee's silica quartz exposure was 169.1 mppcf, as an 8 hour time weighted average, 6.36 times the permissible exposure limit.  The employee was sampled on June 25, 2014 for 420 minutes, the remaining 60 minutes was calculated as 0 (zero) exposure time.     b) On June 25, 2014 at the State Street Parking Ramp located at 214 North Carroll Street, Madison WI, an employee was operating the vapor blasting machine inside an enclosure.  Employee's silica quartz exposure was 174.5 mppcf, as an 8 hour time weighted average, 6.45 times the permissible exposure limit.  The employee was sampled on June 25, 2014 for 411 minutes, the remaining 69 minutes was calculated as 0 (zero) exposure time.

Issued

Oct 17, 2014

Abate by

May 15, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.55(b): Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not implemented to reduce employee exposure(s):  On or about June 19, 2014, feasible engineering controls were not implemented to reduce employees silica exposure:  a)  Employee, vapor blasting concrete, silica quartz exposure was 169.1 mppcf, as an 8 hour time weighted average,   6.36 times the permissible exposure limit.  The employee was sampled on June 25, 2014 for 420 minutes, the remaining 60 minutes was calculated as 0 (zero) exposure time.   b)  Employee, operating the vapor blaster, silica quartz exposure was 174.5 mppcf, as an 8 hour time weighted average, 6.45 times the permissible exposure limit.  The employee was sampled on June 25, 2014 for 411 minutes, the remaining 69 minutes was calculated as 0 (zero) exposure time.   Some methods of feasible abatement:  1.  Create a directional air flow inside the containment by placing the HEPA filters along one wall, exhausting to the external environment, and have fans blow air, from the external environment, towards the HEPA filters.  Ensure the intake and exhaust rates are similar to minimize air eddy currents within the containment.  Furthermore, start vapor blasting in the area closest to the HEPA filters and work towards the fans.  This should allow the employee to work in the clean area of the enclosure.  If the area is large with limited external access for ventilation, make mobile plastic panels the height of the enclosure to create a plenum and use the plenum and fans to direct the air towards the HEPA filters.   2. Place the vapor blaster out of the enclosure.  This should reduce the vapor blaster operator silica exposure.  Abatement normally will be multistep as follows:   STEP 1:  Effective respiratory protection shall be provide and used by exposed employees as an interim protective measure until feasible engineering and/or administrative controls can be implemented, or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee exposure to within exposure limits.   Abatement due 30 days from issuance date:  STEP 2:  Submit to the Area Director a written detailed plan of abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and /or administrative measures to control employee exposure to hazardous substance as referenced in this Citation.  This plan shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the following actions which must be consistent with the abatement dates required by this Citation:  1.  Evaluation of engineering/administrative control options;  2.  Selection of optimum control methods and completion of design;  3.  Procurement, installation, and operation of selected control measures; and  4.  Testing and acceptable or modification/redesign of controls.  All proposed control measures shall be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person.   Abatement due 60 days from issuance date:  Step 3:  Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.   Abatement due 90 days from issuance date: