OSHA Inspection: AFK CORP

Issued

Dec 10, 2015

Abate by

Jun 5, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,975 · Current $2,082 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.94(b)(2):  Where dry grinding, dry polishing or buffing was performed, and employee exposure, without regard to the use of respirators, exceeded the permissible exposure limits prescribed in 1910.1000 or other sections of this part, a local exhaust ventilation system was not provided and used to maintain employee exposures within the prescribed limits:    At the AFK Corp. facility located in Ripon, WI, the employer did not ensure local exhaust ventilation for the pedestal grinders (Grinder Stations 1 through 3) were used to maintain employees' exposures below the permissible exposure limits for respirable crystalline silica.

Issued

Dec 10, 2015

Abate by

Jun 5, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(c): An employee(s) was exposed to respirable crystalline silica in excess of the 8-hour time weighted average limits of respirable crystalline silica listed in Table Z-3:    At the AFK Corp. facility in Ripon, WI, in the casting cleaning area, a Grinder Station 1 employee was exposed to airborne respirable crystalline silica at a level of 3.59 mg/m3 as an 8-hour TWA on 10/20/2015, approximately 1.7 times the PEL of 2.041 mg/m3. This exposure was determined by air sampling conducted over 421 minutes during one shift, with zero exposure being assumed for the unsampled 59 minutes of an 8-hour work shift.

Issued

Dec 10, 2015

Abate by

Jun 5, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(e): Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not determined and implemented to achieve compliance with the limits prescribed in 29 CFR 1910.1000(a) through (d):    At the AFK Corp. facility in Ripon, WI, the employer did not ensure feasible engineering or administrative controls were used or maintained to reduce Grinder Station employees' exposure to respirable crystalline silica below the permissible exposure limit.     Applicable administrative or engineering controls may include, but are not limited to the following:    1)  Ensure existing local exhaust ventilation connected to Grinder Stations 1-3 are being utilized by employees and that the equipment if functioning as designed. Minimum exhaust volumes and recommended minimum duct velocities for branches and main lines can be found in Table G-4 and paragraph (b)(3)(ii) of this standard.    2)  Institute a preventative maintenance and testing program to ensure grinder station local exhaust ventilation continues to effectively eliminate/reduce respirable silica dust from employees' breathing zones.    3)  Eliminate/reduce extraneous silica dust sources by; 1) ensuring shakeout operations are effectively removing excess silica from casting, and 2) ensuring housekeeping is eliminating fugitive silica dust from the work areas.    4)  Conduct periodic personal exposure monitoring to ensure engineering and administrative controls are effectively maintaining employees' exposure to respirable crystalline silica below the permissible exposure limit.