OSHA Inspection: SABER ENGINEERING AND FABRICATION, INC.

Issued

Jul 29, 2015

Abate by

Aug 4, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,400 Reduced

Hazardous substances C730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(1)(iii): The employer shall identify and evaluate the respiratory hazard(s) in the workplace; this evaluation shall include a reasonable estimate of employee exposures to respiratory hazard(s) and an identification of the contaminant's chemical state and physical form. Where the employer cannot identify or reasonably estimate the employee exposure, the employer shall consider the atmosphere to be IDLH.    On or about February 3, 2015, the employer did not have a reasonable estimate of employee exposure to carbon monoxide in the shop area in that employees were exposed to approximately 628 parts per million of carbon monoxide during approximately a 225 minute work period.

Issued

Jul 29, 2015

Abate by

Aug 24, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)(ii): Prior to permitting an employee to operate a powered industrial truck (except for training purposes), the employer shall ensure that each operator has successfully completed the training required by this paragraph (l), except as permitted by paragraph (l)(5).    On or about March 6, 2015 employees operating sit-down forklifts in the shop and lot areas had not received formal instruction, practical exercises and an operator evaluation as specified in paragraph (l) prior to being permitted to operate a forklift.

Issued

Jul 29, 2015

Abate by

Aug 24, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,400 Reduced

Hazardous substances C730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2): Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of Carbon Monoxide listed in Table Z-1 in excess of 50 parts per million as 8 hour Time Weighted Average concentration :    On or about February 3, 2015, an employee working near two running forklifts in the shop area was exposed to an 8 hour time weighted average  concentration of approximately 294 parts per million of Carbon Monoxide which exceeded the permissible exposure limit by 588% during a sampling period of 225 minutes. Zero exposure was used for the unsampled portion of the shift.    STEP 1: Plan    Submit to the area director a written, detailed plan of abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measure to control employee exposure to hazardous substances referenced in 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 acceptance of modifications/redesign of controls.

Issued

Jul 29, 2015

Abate by

Sep 15, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances C730

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) When employees were exposed to Carbon Monoxide at 588% of the permissible exposure limit, feasible administrative or engineering controls, such as but not limited to putting into place a routine and effective maintenance program to check the exhaust of the forklift and repair as needed, were not used to reduce the exposure to below the permissible exposure limit.  STEP 2: Engineering Controls  Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative  controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.

Issued

Jul 29, 2015

Abate by

Aug 24, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,400 Reduced

Hazardous substances C730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): Employers shall develop, implement, and maintain at each workplace, a written hazard communication program which at least describes how the criteria specified in paragraphs (f), (g), and (h) of this section for labels and other forms of warning, material safety data sheets, and employee information and training will be met, and which also includes the following:    On February 3, 2015, employees were exposed to carbon monoxide gas while working near running forklifts in the shop area and the employer had not developed, implemented, and maintained a written hazard communication program.

Issued

Jul 29, 2015

Abate by

Aug 24, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances C730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): Employers shall provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new physical or health hazard the employees have not previously been trained about is introduced into their work area. Information and training may be designed to cover categories of hazards (e.g., flammability, carcinogenicity) or specific chemicals. Chemical-specific information must always be available through labels and material safety data sheets.  On February 3, 2015, employees were exposed to carbon monoxide gas while working near running forklifts in the shop area and the employer had not provided information and training on carbon monoxide.