OSHA Inspection: COOPER BEARINGS, INC.

Issued

Sep 23, 2015

Abate by

Oct 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $2,100 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8110

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(b)(1): When employees were subjected to sound exceeding those listed in Table G-16, feasible administrative controls were not utilized:    (a) Welding Areas - The employer did not utilize feasible administrative controls for employees having noise exposures in excess of 90 dBAs:    On  May 14, 2015:    1. The eight-hour TWA noise level measured for a welder was exposed to continuous noise for 415 minutes was 109 dBAs.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of 65 minutes.      2. The eight-hour TWA noise level measured for a welder exposed to continuous noise for 420 minutes was 103 dBAs.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of 60 minutes.      3.  The average noise level measured for a welder exposed to continuous noise for 420 minutes was 93 dBAs.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of 145 minutes.    Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19, the employer must submit abatement certification, required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Sep 23, 2015

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $2,100 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(d)(1): When information indicated that any employee's exposure equaled or exceed the 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels (dBAs), the employer did not develop and implement a monitoring program:    (a) Welding Areas - The employer did not develop a noise monitoring program for employees having noise exposures in excess of 85 dBAs.  On or about May 14, 2015.    Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19, the employer must submit abatement certification, required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Sep 23, 2015

Abate by

Oct 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(1): The employer did not establish and maintain an audiometric testing program as provided by 29 CFR 1910.95(g) by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels:  a) Welding Areas - An audiometric testing program was not established for employees having potential noise exposures in excess of 85 dBAs.  On or about May 14, 2015.  Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19, the employer must submit abatement certification, required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Sep 23, 2015

Abate by

Oct 13, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(k)(1): The employer did not train each employee who is exposed to noise at or above an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.95(k). The employer did not institute a training program and ensure employee participation in the program:  (a) Welding Areas - The employer did not train employees having noise exposures in excess of 85 dBAs.  On or about May 14, 2015.  Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19, the employer must submit abatement certification, required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Sep 23, 2015

Abate by

Oct 12, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,700 Reduced

Hazardous substances 15202587SL07

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1): A written respiratory protection program that included the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix) with worksite specific procedures was not established and implemented for required respirator use:    (a) Welding Areas - The employer did not establish a written respiratory protection program for employees required to wear a 1/2-mask air purifying respirator (JACKSON SAFETY* R30 N99 Particulate Respirator Single Valve, 64520) while exposed to metal fumes and particulates during the welding, cutting, and grinding of steel journal boxes.  On or about May 14, 2015.    Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19, the employer must submit abatement certification, required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Sep 23, 2015

Abate by

Nov 12, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1520F104SL07

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.252(c)(1)(iii): Local exhaust or general ventilating systems were not provided and arranged to keep the amount of toxic fumes, gases, or dusts below the maximum allowable concentration as specified in 29 CFR 1910.1000:  (a) Welding Area (Clean Air Booth) - The employer failed to provide adequate ventilation to reduce airborne iron oxide fumes to concentrations less than the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 10 mg/m3 for iron oxide fumes.  A welder was exposed to 2.5 times the OSHA PEL for iron oxide fume while cutting steel journal boxes by carbon-air-arc gouging in a ventilation booth (Clean Air Booth).  On or about May 14, 2015.  Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19, the employer must submit abatement certification, required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Sep 23, 2015

Abate by

Nov 12, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1520F104SL07

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2): Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of iron oxide fume in excess of the eight-hour time weighted average concentration (TWA) of 10 mg/m3:  a) Welding Areas (Clean Air Booth) - On  May 14, 2015, a welder was exposed to iron oxide fume at an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) level of 26.5 mg/m3, approximately 2.5 times the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 10.0 mg/m3. The exposure calculations are based on results obtained over 413 minutes of sampling with a zero increment used for the 67 minutes not sampled.  Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19, the employer must submit abatement certification, required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Sep 23, 2015

Abate by

Oct 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,700 Reduced

Hazardous substances 15202587SL07

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) Welding Areas - Employees required to wear a 1/2-mask air purifying respirator (JACKSON SAFETY* R30 N99 Particulate Respirator Single Valve, 64520) while exposed to metal fumes and particulates during the welding, cutting, and grinding of steel journal boxes, were not medically evaluated.  On or about May 14, 2015.    Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19, the employer must submit abatement certification, required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Sep 23, 2015

Abate by

Oct 18, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1520F104SL07

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) Welding Areas - The employer did not ensure that employees required to wear a 1/2-mask air purifying respirator (JACKSON SAFETY* R30 N99 Particulate Respirator Single Valve, 64520) while exposed to metal fumes and particulates during the welding, cutting, and grinding of steel journal boxes, were fit tested prior to the use of a respirator.  On or about May 14, 2015.  Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19, the employer must submit abatement certification, required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Sep 23, 2015

Abate by

Oct 12, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1520F104SL07

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k): The employer did not provide comprehensive, understandable training which did not occur annually and/or more often if necessary:  (a) Welding Areas - The employer did not train employees required to wear a 1/2-mask air purifying respirator (JACKSON SAFETY* R30 N99 Particulate Respirator Single Valve, 64520) while exposed to metal fumes and particulates during the welding, cutting, and grinding of steel journal boxes.  On or about May 14, 2015.  Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19, the employer must submit abatement certification, required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.