OSHA Inspection: ST. MARTIN AMERICA INC.

Issued

Jun 11, 2015

Abate by

Feb 23, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $2,100

Hazardous substances E200

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, including severe burns, to employees in that employees were exposed to dust explosion, deflagration, or other fire hazards from the dust collector being located inside a building.    a) Wood Shop: A Dust Technology dust collector (Model DT-150), that collects combustible wood dust from saws and a belt sander, was located inside the building, discovered on or about 04/07/2015.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jun 11, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $2,700 Reduced

Hazardous substances 10601536

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.107(b)(5)(iv): Space within the spray booth on the downstream and upstream sides of filters were not protected with approved automatic sprinklers:    a) Paint Department: Employees sprayed category II flammable varnishes in the Carolina Virginia spray booth and the spray booth was not equipped with a fire suppression system, discovered on or about 04/07/2015.    ABATED DURING INSPECTION  NO ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jun 11, 2015

Abate by

Dec 15, 2015

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $2,940 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1293

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1048(c)(2): Employees were exposed to an airborne concentration of formaldehyde which exceeded two parts per million as a 15-minute short term exposure limit (STEL):    a) Paint Department:  An employee, Painter, was exposed to formaldehyde at a 15-minute time-weighted average of 2.68 parts per million, approximately 1.3 times the Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) of 2 parts per million.  Sampling was performed for 15 minutes on May 13, 2015.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jun 11, 2015

Abate by

Dec 15, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1293

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1048(f)(1): Engineering controls and work practices were not instituted to reduce and maintain employee exposures to formaldehyde at or below the TWA and the STEL:  a) Paint Department:  An employee, Painter, was exposed to formaldehyde at a 15-minute time-weighted average of 2.68 parts per million, approximately 1.3 times the Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) of 2 parts per million.  Sampling was performed for 15 minutes on May 13, 2015.  The employer did not implement feasible engineering controls and/or work practice controls to reduce employee exposure levels to below the STEL for formaldehyde.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED   GENERAL METHODS OF CONTROL APPLICABLE IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:  - Mix formaldehyde containing chemicals in the spray booth and use the booth's existing mechanical ventilation to exhaust formaldehyde vapors away from employees.  - Mix formaldehyde containing chemicals at the mixing table and install/utilize local mechanical ventilation to exhaust formaldehyde vapors away from employees.   - Increase ventilation in the parts drying oven.   Abatement Schedule:  Step 1.  Provide effective respiratory protection to and ensure it is used by exposed employees as an interim protective measure until feasible engineering and/or administrative controls can be implemented or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee exposure to within permissible exposure limits and/or short term 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 and/or administrative 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 the abatement dates required by 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; (4)  Testing and acceptance or modification/redesign of controls.    All proposed control measures shall be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person.  45-day progress reports are required during the abatement period.  Step 3.  Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.

Issued

Jun 11, 2015

Penalty

Initial $4,900 · Current $2,940 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1293

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1048(d)(2): Employees who may have been exposed at or above the action level or STEL were not identified, and the exposure was not accurately determined for each identified employee:    a) Paint Department:  An employee was overexposed to the OSHA Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) for formaldehyde and the employer did not perform initial monitoring to determine which employees were exposed above the action level and/or STEL, discovered on or about 05/13/2015.    ABATED DURING INSPECTION  NO ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED    ABATEMENT NOTE:    1. The initial monitoring process shall be repeated each time there is a change in production, equipment, process, personnel, or control measures which may result in new or additional exposure to formaldehyde.  Conduct monitoring in accordance with section (d) of this standard;    2. The employer shall periodically measure and accurately determine exposure to formaldehyde for employees shown by the initial monitoring to be exposed at or above the action level or at or above the STEL.  Conduct monitoring in accordance with section (d) of this standard.

Issued

Jun 11, 2015

Abate by

Jul 1, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1293

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1048(e)(1)(i): The employer did not establish regulated areas where the concentration of airborne formaldehyde exceeds either the TWA or the STEL and post all entrances with appropriate signage:  a) Paint Department, Mixing Table:  An employee was overexposed to the OSHA Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) for formaldehyde and the employer did not post signage for formaldehyde at the mixing table to warn other employees of the exposure hazard, discovered on or about 05/13/2015.  b) Paint Department, Parts Drying Oven:  An employee was overexposed to the OSHA Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) for formaldehyde and the employer did not post signage for formaldehyde at the entrance to the parts drying oven to warn other employees of the exposure hazard, discovered on or about 05/13/2015.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED  ABATEMENT NOTE:  Signs shall bear the following legend:    DANGER  FORMALDEHYDE  MAY CAUSE CANCER  CAUSES SKIN, EYE, AND RESPIRATORY IRRITATION  AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY

Issued

Jun 11, 2015

Abate by

Aug 1, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1293

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1048(g)(2)(i): The employer did not implement a respiratory protection program in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134(b) through (d) (except (d)(1)(iii), (d)(3)(iii)(B)(1), and (d)(2)) and (f) through (m), which covers each employee required by 29 CFR 1910.1048 to use a respirator:    a) Paint Department: An employee was overexposed to the OSHA Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) for formaldehyde while performing cabinetry varnishing operations and the employer did not establish and implement a respiratory protection program when respirators were necessary to protect the health of employees, on or about 05/13/2015.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jun 11, 2015

Abate by

Aug 20, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1293

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1048(l)(1)(i): The employer did not institute medical surveillance programs for all employees exposed to formaldehyde at concentrations at or exceeding the action level or exceeding the STEL:    a) Paint Department: An employee was overexposed to the OSHA Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) for formaldehyde while performing cabinetry varnishing operations and the employer did not institute a medical surveillance program for employees exposed to formaldehyde at levels at or above the action level or STEL, on or about 05/13/2015.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jun 11, 2015

Abate by

Aug 1, 2015

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $3,240 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1293

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1048(n)(2): The employer did not provide employees with information and training on formaldehyde at the time of their initial assignment and/or wherever a new hazard from formaldehyde was introduced into their work area:    a) Paint Department: Employees were exposed to formaldehyde while performing cabinetry varnishing operations and the employer did not ensure that these employees were provided with formaldehyde training at the time of their initial assignment to the paint department, discovered on or about 05/13/2015.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED    ABATEMENT NOTE:    The formaldehyde training shall be repeated at least annually.

Issued

Jun 11, 2015

Abate by

Aug 1, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1293

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): The employer did not develop, implement, and/or maintain at the workplace a written hazard communication program which describes how the criteria specified in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f), (g), and (h) will be met:    a) Paint Department: Employees worked with hazardous chemicals, including, but not limited to, Valspar Valguard Conversion Varnish AUF5501/AUF5502, and the employer did not develop, implement, and maintain a written hazard communication, discovered on or about 04/07/2015.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED    ABATEMENT NOTE:    Key elements of a hazard communication program include, but are not limited to, the following:    1. Develop, implement, and maintain a written hazard communication program in accordance with section (e) of this standard;    2. Label all hazardous chemicals in accordance with section (f) of this standard;    3. Maintain in the workplace copies of the safety data sheets for all hazardous chemicals and ensure they are readily accessible to employees in accordance with section (g) of this standard; and    4. Provide employees with hazard communication training in accordance with section (h) of this standard.

Issued

Jun 11, 2015

Abate by

Aug 1, 2015

Penalty

Initial $8,400 · Current $2,040 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1293

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1): The employer did not establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures in any workplace where respirators were necessary to protect the health of the employee or whenever respirators were required by the employer:    a) Paint Department: An employee was overexposed to the OSHA Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) for formaldehyde while performing cabinetry varnishing operations and the employer did not establish and implement a written respiratory protection program when respirators were necessary to protect the health of employees, on or about 05/13/2015.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED      St. Martin America was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard, which was contained in OSHA inspection number 315800292, citation number 02, item number 01, and was affirmed as a final order on 03/28/2012, with respect to a workplace located at 87 Schuylkill Street, Cressona, PA 17929.      ABATEMENT NOTE:    Key elements of a respiratory protection program include, but are not limited to, the following:    1. Establish and implement a written respiratory protection program in accordance with section (c) of this standard;    2. Provide employees with a medical evaluation to determine their ability to use a respirator in accordance with section (e) of this standard;    3. Provide employees with annual respirator fit test in accordance with section (f) of this standard; and    4. Provide employees with annual respirator training in accordance with section (k) of this standard.

Issued

Jun 11, 2015

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $600 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.39(a)(2): The employer did not report an in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye as a result of a work-related incident to OSHA within twenty-four (24) hours:    a) St. Martin America: On March 30, 2015, an employee suffered a work-related amputation with bone loss injury and the employer failed to report the injury to OSHA within 24 hours, discovered on or about 04/07/2015.    ABATED DURING INSPECTION  NO ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jun 11, 2015

Abate by

Aug 1, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(b)(2): Listed or labeled electrical equipment was not used or installed in accordance with instructions included in the listing or labeling:    a) Paint Department: Employees used a hanging electrical knockout box, installed as a pendent, to supply power to a sander and the employer did not ensure that the knockout box was permanently mounted in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications, discovered on or about 04/07/2015.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED