OSHA Inspection: HBR INTERNATIONAL, INC.

Issued

May 29, 2015

Abate by

Jun 8, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,975 · Current $2,083 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.20(b)(2): The employer failed to initiate and maintain programs that provided for frequent and regular inspections of the job sites, materials, and equipment to be made by competent persons designated by the employer:    At the project on or about April 6, 7 and 8, 2015, the employer failed to ensure the job site and equipment were inspected or ensure the persons making the inspection were competent, as there was an employee with no eye protection because the eye protection was broken, a non functioning GFCI wall outlet, two metal chisels with mushroomed heads, and an electrical outlet box that was not used as designed to be used at this 300 square foot project.  Employees were exposed to the hazards of being struck by metal shards and concrete debris or contacting electricity.

Issued

May 29, 2015

Abate by

Jun 8, 2015

Penalty

Initial $1,785 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.403(b)(2): Listed, labeled, or certified equipment was not installed and used in accordance with instructions included in the listing, labeling, or certification:    At the project on April 8, 2015, an electrical box was not used as designed as it lay on the floor instead of being secured on a surface. The box was connected to a flexible cord, and the outlet in the box powered a 110 VAC Makita right angle grinder. Employees that used the grinder to cut stone floor tiles and grout were exposed to the hazard of contacting electricity.

Issued

May 29, 2015

Penalty

Initial $1,517 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.404(b)(1)(i): The employer did not use either ground fault circuit interrupters as specified in paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section or an assured equipment grounding conductor program as specified in paragraph (b)(1)(iii) of this section to protect employees on construction sites. These requirements are in addition to any other requirements for equipment grounding conductors:    At the project on or about April 6, 2015, and on the morning of April 7, 2015, the employer did not use either ground-fault circuit-interrupters or an assured equipment grounding conductor program to protect employees that used a 110 VAC Makita hammer drill, powered through an extension cord, to drill holes through stone tiles to install partitions between the toilets.  Employees were exposed to the hazards of electricity.

Issued

May 29, 2015

Abate by

Jun 8, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,975 · Current $2,083 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.20(b)(3): The use of any machinery, tool, material, or equipment which was not in compliance with any applicable requirement of this part was not prohibited. Such machine, tool, material, or equipment was not either identified as unsafe by tagging or locking the controls to render them inoperable or physically removed from its place of operation:    At the project on or about April 6, 7 and 8, 2015, a non functioning GFCI wall outlet, two metal chisels with mushroomed heads, and an electrical outlet box that was not used as designed to be used, were not either identified as unsafe by tagging or locking the controls or physically removed from their place of operation.  Employees were exposed to the hazards of being struck by metal shards or contacting electricity.

Issued

May 29, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,529 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.301(c): Impact tools, such as drift pins, wedges, and chisels, were not kept free of mushroomed heads:    At the project on or about April 6 and 7, 2015, a 12 inch long by 1 inch diameter metal chisel and a 17 inch long by 0.75 inch diameter metal chisel were not kept free of mushroomed heads. The chisels were used to chip the surfaces on the concrete sink supports to prepare the surfaces for tile grout and to chip the concrete out around the existing bolts that secured the toilets to the floor in order to replace the bolts. Employees were exposed to the hazard of being struck by metal shards from the mushroomed chisel heads.

Issued

May 29, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,529 · Current $1,770 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.95(a): Protective equipment, including personal protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices, and protective shields and barriers, were not provided, used, and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever it was necessary by reason of hazards of processes or environment, chemical hazards, radiological hazards, or mechanical irritants encountered in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation or physical contact:    At the project on or about April 6, 7 and 8, 2015, eye protection was not worn when mushroomed headed chisels were used to break off concrete from sink support columns and to chip floor concrete out around the bolts that secured the toilets to the floor, and when right angle cutters were used to cut stone floor tiles,. Employees, who only had broken eye protection and no eye protection, were exposed to the hazard of their eyes being struck by concrete and stone debris and metal chips from the chisels.

Issued

May 29, 2015

Abate by

Jun 8, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,975 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.95(d)(1): Except as provided by paragraphs (d)(2) through (d)(6) of this section, the protective equipment, including personal protective equipment (PPE), used to comply with this part, was not provided by the employer at no cost to employees:    At the project on or about April 6, 7, and 8, 2015, the employer did not provide head protection, safety goggles, safety glasses, reflective vests at no cost to employees. The employer's accountant told employees the employer would only provide respirators at no cost to employees. The employer did not provide new eye protection at no cost to employees until April 9, 2015, after OSHA notified the employer on April 7, 2015, that non-prescription eye protection must be provided to employees at no cost to employees. Employees without eye protection, that needed to use hammers, mushroomed head chisels, and 110 VAC right angle cutting tools to perform work on concrete and stone tiles, were exposed to the hazard of being struck in the eyes by concrete and stone debris and metal shards from the chisel heads.