OSHA Inspection: MELGES BOAT WORKS, INC.

Issued

Feb 11, 2015

Penalty

Initial $4,200 · Current $2,100 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9135

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 August 19, 2014, the employer had not performed initial air monitoring for total dust (fiberglass dust) to determine employee exposure for an 8 hour time weighted average.    Abatement documentation required per 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

Feb 11, 2015

Abate by

Aug 5, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,680 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1): The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee was fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace:    On or about August 19, 2014, the employer had not provided medical evaluations to determine if employees were medically capable of wearing respirators for mandatory or voluntary use in the facility.    Abatement documentation required per 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

Feb 11, 2015

Abate by

Aug 5, 2015

Penalty

Initial $4,200 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2): Employee(s) using tight-fitting facepiece respirators were not fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator:    On or about August 19, 2014, the employer had not provided fit testing for employees required to wear respiratory protection when performing various job duties.    Abatement documentation required per 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

Feb 11, 2015

Abate by

Jul 1, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,200 · Current $2,520 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2): Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of total dust listed in Table Z-1 in excess of the 8 hour Time Weighted Average concentration of 15 milligrams per cubic meter:    On November 13, 2014, an employees grinding on fiberglass was exposed to Total Dust at an 8-hour time weighted average of 49.990 mg/m3, approximately 3.33 times the calculated permissible exposure limit of 15 mg/m3. The sample was collected for 459 minutes; exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 21 minutes not sampled.    On November 13, 2014, an employee pre-finishing on fiberglass was exposed to Total Dust at an 8-hour time weighted average of 15.186 mg/m3, approximately 1.012 times the calculated permissible exposure limit of 15 mg/m3. The sample was collected for 455 minutes; exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 25 minutes not sampled.    Abatement documentation required per 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

Feb 11, 2015

Abate by

Jul 1, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

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):      On November 13, 2014, employees pre-finishing and grinding on fiberglass parts were overexposed to total dust (see Citation 1, Item 4a).  General methods of control applicable in these circumstances include, but are not limited to the following:     1.  Reevaluate the efficacy of the ventilation provided for the grinding room.  Ensure that the ventilation meets or exceeds the most current recommendations outlined in the Handbook of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).   2.  Incorporate grinding tools equipped with a vacuum device at the point of operation.  3.  Evaluate employee positioning in regards to proximity of breathing zone and point of operation.     Disclaimers:  1. The employer is not limited to the abatement methods suggested by OSHA;  2. The methods explained are general and may not be effective in all cases; and  3. The employer is responsible for selecting and carrying out an effective abatement     Abatement Schedule  STEP 1:  Effective respiratory protection shall be provided and used by exposed employees              as an interim protective measure until feasible engineering controls can be              implemented or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee exposures to              within permissible exposure limits.  STEP 2:  A written detailed plan of abatement shall be submitted to the Area Director              outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering measures to control              employee exposures to hazardous substances as referenced in this citation.  This              plan shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the following actions which               must be consistent with abatement dates required by this citation:            1. Evaluation of engineering 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 acceptance or modification/redesign of controls.             NOTE: All proposed control measures shall be approved for each particular use            by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person.     STEP 3:   Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible            engineering controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving            compliance.   Date by which violation must be abated:  STEP - 1  Immediate Date by which violation must be abated:  STEP - 2  30 Days Date by which violation must be abated:  STEP - 3  90 Days  Abatement documentation required per 29 CFR 1903.19(d).