OSHA Inspection: INSTITUTE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INC

Issued

May 14, 2015

Abate by

Jun 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $3,570 · Current $3,570

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed were exposed to fire hazards.     (a)Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On and preceding 3/11/15, the employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees, in that employees were exposed to a fire hazard.  Vials containing methanol and toluene and flasks containing petroleum ether were placed into VWR model 1650D drying ovens in the wet lab.  The vials, flasks, and flammable liquids were heated to 100 degrees Celsius.  The flashpoints of toluene and methanol are approximately 16 degrees Celsius, while the flashpoint of petroleum ether is -18 degrees Celsius.  The drying ovens were not designed to contain flammable or combustible liquids.  This condition exposed employees to fire hazards.     (b)Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On and preceding 3/11/15, the employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees, in that employees were exposed to a fire hazard.  Xylene and 1,1,3,3-tetraethoxy propane, flammable liquids, were stored in a Frigidaire model F44C18SHWO refrigerator in the wet lab.  The refrigerator was not designed to contain flammable or combustible liquids.  This condition exposed employees to fire hazards.     DELETE instance (c)  (c)Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On and preceding 3/11/15, the employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees, in that employees were exposed to a fire hazard.  Employees used flammable liquids, including ethanol, methanol, toluene, diethyl ether, and petroleum ether in the wet lab and fat lab.  Quantities of flammable liquids needed in excess of daily use were stored in the labs.  The flammable liquids were stored in fumehoods, fumehood cabinets, benchtops, refrigerators, and open shelving.  The flammable liquids were not stored in flammable liquid storage cabinets, safety cans, or inside storage rooms. This condition exposed employees to fire hazards.     (d)Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On and preceding 3/11/15, the employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees, in that employees were exposed to a fire or explosion hazard.  Employees used diethyl ether and tetrahydrofuran at the facility.  Both chemicals are Class B peroxide forming liquids.  The diethyl ether had an expiration date of May 31, 2009, while the tetrahydrofuran had an expiration date of April 19, 2000.  The employer did not ensure that the peroxide forming liquids were disposed by the expiration date and no more than one year past opening the container. This condition exposed employees to fire or explosion hazards.     Abatement Note:  Abatement may be achieved for instances (a), (b), and (c) by compliance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 45 "Standard on Fire Protection for Laboratories Using Chemicals".    Abatement Note:  Abatement may be achieved for instance (d) by compliance with manufacturer specifications for use and storage of Class B peroxide forming chemicals.

Issued

May 14, 2015

Abate by

Oct 19, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,380 · Current $2,380

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.106(d)(4)(i):  Inside storage room was not constructed to meet the required fire-resistive rating for its use:    (a)Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On and preceding 3/12/15, the employer did not ensure that the inside storage room was constructed to meet the required fire-resistive rating for its use.  The inside storage room contained approximately 470 liters of flammable and combustible liquids.  The inside storage room had a window in the exterior wall of the building.  The window was not a labeled fire window.  The employer did not ensure that the window of the inside storage room was in compliance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 80-1968, "Fire Doors and Windows", which is incorporated by reference in this Standard.  This condition exposed employees to a fire hazard.    (b)  Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On and preceding 3/12/15, the employer did not ensure that the inside storage room was constructed to meet the required fire-resistive rating for its use.  The inside storage room contained approximately 470 liters of flammable and combustible liquids.  The opening to the inside storage room was not provided with a noncombustible liquid-tight raised sill or ramp at least 4 inches in height or that the floor in the inside storage area was at least 4 inches below the surrounding floor.  This condition exposed employees to a fire hazard.    (c)  Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On and preceding 3/12/15, the employer did not ensure that the waste storage room was constructed to meet the required fire-resistive rating for its use.  The waste storage room contained approximately three 55 gallon barrels of flammable and combustible liquids.  The waste storage room had a window in the exterior wall of the building.  The window was not a labeled fire window.  The employer did not ensure that the window of the waste storage room was in compliance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 80-1968, "Fire Doors and Windows", which is incorporated by reference in this Standard.  This condition exposed employees to a fire hazard.  DELETE instance (d)  (d)  Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On and preceding 3/12/15, the employer did not ensure that the waste storage room was constructed to meet the required fire-resistive rating for its use.  The waste storage room contained approximately three 55 gallon barrels of flammable and combustible liquids.  The opening to the waste storage room was not provided with a noncombustible liquid-tight raised sill or ramp at least 4 inches in height or that the floor in the waste storage area was at least 4 inches below the surrounding floor.  This condition exposed employees to a fire hazard.    Abatement Note:  A permissible alternate to the sill or ramp is an open-grated trench inside of the room which drains to a safe location.

Issued

May 14, 2015

Abate by

Oct 19, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.106(d)(4)(iv): Inside storage room was not provided with either a gravity or a mechanical exhaust ventilation system:    (a)Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On and preceding 3/12/15, the employer did not ensure that the inside storage room was provided with either a gravity or a mechanical exhaust ventilation system.  The inside storage room contained approximately 470 liters of flammable and combustible liquids.  The inside storage room was not provided with a mechanical ventilation system.  The inside storage room had a single vent.  This condition exposed employees to a fire hazard.    Abatement Note:  Such system shall be designed to provide for a complete change of air within the room at least six times per hour.  If a mechanical exhaust system is used, it shall be controlled by a switch located outside of the door.  The ventilation equipment and any lighting fixtures shall be operated by the same switch.    Abatement Note:  Where gravity ventilation is provided, the fresh air intake, as well as the exhaust outlet from the room, shall be on the exterior of the building in which the room is located.

Issued

May 14, 2015

Abate by

Jun 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $3,570 · Current $2,020 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.133(a)(1): The employer did not ensure that each affected employee use appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation:     (a)Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On 3/11/15, the employer did not ensure that each affected employee use appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids.  Employees used corrosive liquids, such as concentrated acids and bases, toxic liquids such as chloroform, and flammable liquids such as methanol and toluene.  Employees did not wear appropriate protective eyewear while working in the wet lab.  This condition exposed employees to chemical hazards.

Issued

May 14, 2015

Abate by

Jun 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.138(b): The employer did not base the selection of the appropriate hand protection on an evaluation of the performance characteristics of the hand protection relative to the task(s) to be performed, conditions present, duration of use, and the hazards and potential hazards identified:    (a)Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On and preceding 3/11/15, the employer did not base the selection of the appropriate hand protection on an evaluation of the performance characteristics of the hand protection relative to the task(s) to be performed, conditions present, duration of use, and the hazards and potential hazards identified.  Employees used corrosive liquids, such as concentrated acids and bases, toxic liquids such as chloroform, and flammable liquids such as methanol and toluene.  Employees wore Microflex Xceed disposable nitrile exam type gloves.  Disposable nitrile exam type gloves do not provide adequate protection from the chemicals used by the employees.  This condition exposed employees to chemical hazards.

Issued

May 14, 2015

Abate by

Jun 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $1,785 · Current $1,010 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(a)(2)(xi): Support for cable assemblies and flexible cords and cables were not installed so as not to cause damage:     (a)Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On and preceding 3/11/15, the employer did not ensure that support for cable assemblies and flexible cords and cables were installed so as not to cause damage.  Employees used VWR model 200 magnetic stirrers to mix liquids.  The flexible cords were damaged at the connection to the plug.  Support had not been provided to the flexible power cords to prevent damage. This condition exposed employees to the hazard of electrical shock.

Issued

May 14, 2015

Abate by

Jun 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(1)(ii): Unused openings in boxes, cabinets, or fittings were not effectively closed:     (a)Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On and preceding 3/12/15, the employer did not ensure unused openings in boxes, cabinets, or fittings were effectively closed.  Flammable liquids were stored in a Kelvinator Scientific model BT20RSFSMA refrigerator in the fat room.  A junction box adjacent to the refrigerator had an unused opening that was not closed.  The circuit was live and provided power to the refrigerator. This condition exposed the employee to the hazard of electrical shock.

Issued

May 14, 2015

Abate by

Jun 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $3,570 · Current $2,020 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1450(f)(1): The employer did not provide laboratory employees with information and training to ensure that they were apprised of the hazards of chemicals present in their work area:      (a)Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On 3/12/15, the employer did not provide laboratory employees with information to ensure that they were apprised of the hazards of chemicals present in their work area.  Employees used chemicals, such as glass cleaner, soapy water, and dish cleaner, to clean labware.  The chemicals were stored in secondary containers.  The containers were not labeled with the identity of the contents nor hazard warnings of the chemicals contained within.  This condition exposed employees to chemical hazards.    (b)Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On and preceding 3/12/15, the employer did not provide laboratory employees with information to ensure that they were apprised of the hazards of chemicals present in their work area.  Employees used chemicals, such as potassium hydroxide and glycerol in the wet lab.  A beaker containing both chemicals was stored on the Frigidaire refrigerator.  The beaker was not labeled with the hazard warnings of the chemicals contained within.  This condition exposed employees to chemical hazards.    (c)Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On 3/11/15, the employer did not provide laboratory employees with information to ensure that they were apprised of the hazards of chemicals present in their work area.  Employees used chemicals, such as ethanol and acetone in the wet lab.  The chemicals were stored in secondary containers.  The containers were not labeled with the hazard warnings of the chemicals contained within.  This condition exposed employees to chemical hazards.    (d)Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On 3/11/15, the employer did not provide laboratory employees with information and training to ensure that they were apprised of the hazards of chemicals present in their work area.  Employees used chemicals, such as sodium hydroxide and boric acid in the wet lab.  Solutions of the chemicals were stored in 10 gallon carboys.  The carboys were not labeled with the hazard warnings of the chemicals contained within.  This condition exposed employees to chemical hazards.

Issued

May 14, 2015

Abate by

Jun 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1450(f)(4)(i)(C): Employee training did not include the measures employees could take to protect themselves from the physical and health hazards of chemicals in the work area, including emergency procedures and personal protective equipment:     (a)Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On and preceding 3/11/15, the employer did not ensure that employee training included the measures employees could take to protect themselves from the physical and health hazards of chemicals in the work area, including emergency procedures and personal protective equipment.  Employees used corrosive liquids, such as concentrated acids and bases, toxic liquids such as chloroform, and flammable liquids such as methanol and toluene.  Employees had not received training on emergency procedures and appropriate personal protective equipment.  This condition exposed employees to chemical hazards.

Issued

May 14, 2015

Abate by

Jun 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(2): The employer did not verify that the required workplace hazard assessment had been performed through a written certification which included the requirements as outlined in 29 CFR 1910.132(d):    (a)Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On and preceding 3/11/15, the employer did not verify that the required workplace hazard assessment had been performed through a written certification which included the requirements as outlined in 29 CFR 1910.132(d).  Employees used corrosive chemicals, such as concentrated acids and bases, toxic chemicals such as chloroform and potassium cyanide, peroxide forming chemicals such as diethyl ether and tetrahydrofuran, and flammable chemicals such as methanol and toluene.  The employer has not certified that a thorough workplace hazard assessment has been performed.  This condition potentially exposed employees to chemical hazards.

Issued

May 14, 2015

Abate by

Jun 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:    (a)Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On and preceding 3/11/15, 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.  The employer allowed employees to voluntarily wear respiratory protection while performing work in a chemistry laboratory.  Approximately two employees wore 3M model 5200 tight fitting air purifying half mask respirators with combination cartridges.  The employer did not provide a medical evaluation for each employee.  This condition potentially exposed the employees to a respiratory hazard.

Issued

May 14, 2015

Abate by

Jun 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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 this section, in any written or oral format to employees who wear respirators when such use is not required by this section or by the employer:    (a)Institute for Environmental Health Inc. dba IEH Warren Analytical Laboratory at 650 O Street, Greeley, CO: On and preceding 3/11/15, the employer did not provide the basic advisory information on respirators, as presented in Appendix D of this section, in any written or oral format to employees who wear respirators when such use is not required by this section or by the employer.  The employer allowed employees to voluntarily wear respiratory protection while performing work in a chemistry laboratory.  Approximately two employees wore 3M model 5200 tight fitting air purifying half mask respirators with combination cartridges.  The employer did not provide basic advisory information on respirators to the employees.  This condition potentially exposed the employees to a respiratory hazard.