OSHA Inspection: CHARLES HALES

Issued

May 6, 2015

Abate by

Jun 19, 2015

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $1,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  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 in that employees were exposed to the hazards of being struck by fragments of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) plastic pipe in the event that the PVC plastic pipe ruptured:    a)      Main Shop:  On or about March 23rd, 2015 and at times prior to, the employer exposed employees to the hazards of being struck by fragments of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) plastic pipe in the event that the PVC plastic pipe ruptured.  Plastic pipe was used in above ground locations throughout the facility to transport compressed air from compressor through 1 inch PVC lines at 100 psi.

Issued

May 6, 2015

Abate by

Jun 19, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $2,000

Hazardous substances 81108111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1): The employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.9(c) through (o) whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale, or equivalently a dose of fifty percent:   a)  Abrasive Blasting area:   On or about March 23rd, 2015 an employee was exposed to noise levels at the hearing conservation level of 165.2 % (equivalent to an 8 hour time weighted average TWA of 93.62 dBA) which is 3.3 times the Action Level of 50% (equivalent to an 8 hour TWA of 85 dBA) while operating the abrasive blasting machine. The sampling period was for 170 minutes with the remainder of the 8 hour shift given a 0 db for the 8 hour Time Weighted Average calculation.

Issued

May 6, 2015

Abate by

May 14, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(f)(2): Each service, feeder, and branch circuit, at its disconnecting means or overcurrent device, was not legibly marked to indicate its purpose, nor located and arranged so the purpose was evident:  a)Main shop compressor room: On or about March 23rd, 2015 and at times prior, the employer exposed employees to electrical hazards from not labeling circuit breakers in the compressor room.

Issued

May 6, 2015

Abate by

May 14, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 90109015

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)Abrasive blasting area:  On or about March 23rd, 2015, and prior to, employees were exposed to inhalation hazards from abrasive blasting media that has silica (cristobolite and quartz) as a constituent while conducting abrasive blasting work tasks with required use of half mask respirator and not provided a medical evaluation for the respirator.

Issued

May 6, 2015

Abate by

May 14, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 90109015

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:   a)Blasting area:  On or about March 23rd, 2015, and prior to, employees were exposed to inhalation hazards from silica dust while conducting abrasive blasting work tasks with required use of a half mask respirator and not provided fit test for the respirator.

Issued

May 6, 2015

Abate by

May 14, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0560

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(i)(5)(iv): Have a tag containing the most recent change date and the signature of the person authorized by the employer to perform the change. The tag shall be maintained at the compressor.   a)Sandblasting area located in shop yard:  On or about March 23rd, 2015, and prior to, employees were exposed to inhalation hazards from required use a Bullard hood respirator that has breathing air generated from a Bullard oil free compressor without documenting filter change information on breathing air filter pot while conducting sandblasting job tasks.

Issued

May 6, 2015

Abate by

May 14, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 90109015

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k): The employer did not provide effective training to employees who are required to use respirators. The training must be comprehensive, understandable, and recur annually, and more often if necessary. This paragraph also requires the employer to provide the basic information on respirators in Appendix D of this section to employees who wear respirators when not required by this section or by the employer to do so.   a)Charles Hales dba Wiregrass Memorials & Vault LLC:  On or about March 23rd, 2015 and prior to, employees were exposed to dust inhalation hazards from abrasive blasting, sanding and cutting work tasks.  The employer requires use of tight fitting respirators and supplied air respirators.

Issued

May 6, 2015

Abate by

May 14, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 90109015

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 29 CFR 1910.134, in written or oral format to employees who wear respirators when such use was not required by the employer:    a)Charles Hales dba Wiregrass Memorials & Vault LLC:  On or about March 23rd, 2015 and prior to, employees were exposed to dust inhalation hazards from abrasive blasting, sanding and cutting tasks.  The employer provides and allows voluntary use of  NIOSH approved MSA dust masks for work tasks and did not assure provide training or appendix D.

Issued

May 6, 2015

Abate by

May 14, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 90109015

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1)(i): The written hazard communication program did not include a list of the hazardous chemicals known to be present, using an identity that was referenced on the appropriate material safety data sheet:   a)Charles Hales dba Wiregrass Monuments & Vault LLC:  On or about March 23rd, 2015, and prior to,  no chemical inventory list was available to employee(s) exposed to hazards including but not limited to abrasive blasting media that contains silica.

Issued

May 6, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9760

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(6)(ii): The employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged or marked with the appropriate hazard warnings:  a)Charles Hales dba Wiregrass Memorials & Vault LLC:  On or about March 23, 2015, and prior to, the employer exposed employees to hazards of unlabeled container without identification of the hazard of the chemical  and identification of the contents of a hand sprayer that contained a flammable product called Lithichrome Shadow.

Issued

May 6, 2015

Abate by

May 14, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 90109015

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:  a)Charles Hales dba Wiregrass Memorials & Vault LLC.:  On or about March 23rd, 2015, and prior to,  no Hazard Communication Program training was available to employee(s) exposed to hazards including but not limited to paints, thinner, silica from granite stone, and sandblasting media during job tasks