OSHA Inspection: BERLIN BUILDERS, INC.

Issued

2016-03-23 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-04-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $5940.00 · Current $5940.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.59:  An employer engaged in construction activities did not comply with the requirements set forth in Part 1910, Section 1200, Hazard Communication:  a)  Springford Estates, Lot 7 - The employer does not ensure that construction employees are provided Hazard Communication training. This continuing violation was most recently observed on December 4, 2015, when the employer did not provide Safety Data Sheets and chemical hazard training to employees using chemicals, such as, but not limited to Professional Grade FS125 Subfloor and Construction Sealant. The employer's ongoing obligation is to ensure each employee is adequately educated in chemical hazard reduction techniques related to each industrial chemical in use during construction activities.

Issued

2016-03-23 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2970.00 · Current $2970.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.150(c)(1)(i): A fire extinguisher, rated not less than 2A, was not provided for each 3,000 square feet of the protected building area, or major fraction thereof.  a)  Springford Estates, Lot 7 - The employer does not ensure that portable fire extinguishers are provided. This continuing violation was most recently observed on December 4, 2015, when portable fire extinguishers were not provided on site for employees where flammable liquids were in use. The employer's ongoing obligation is to ensure that the appropriate number of fire extinguishers are placed within the worksite based upon the anticipated fire hazard and the worksite's physical layout.

Issued

2016-03-23 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-04-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $6930.00 · Current $6930.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.503(b)(1): The employer did not verify compliance with paragraph (a) of this section by preparing a written (training) certification record including the name or other identity of the employee trained, the date(s) of the training, and the signature of the person who conducted the training or the signature of the employer.  a)  Springford Estates, Lot 7 - The employer does not ensure that employees performing work at greater than six feet above a lower level have written certification of their fall prevention training. This continuing violation was most recently observed on December 4, 2015, when the employer did not verify compliance with paragraph (a) of this section by preparing written certification record of the fall hazard prevention training provided to employees that are exposed to fall hazards of greater than six feet and for the related use of fall protection equipment. The employer's ongoing obligation is to ensure employee fall hazard training is properly documented for each employee working on elevated surfaces.

Issued

2016-03-23 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-04-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4950.00 · Current $4950.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1051(a): Stairways or ladders were not provided at all personnel points of access where there was a break in elevation of 19 inches (48 cm) or more, and no ramp, runway, sloped embankment, or personnel hoist was provided:  a)  Springford Estates, Lot 7 - The employer does not ensure that stairways or portable ladders are provided for employee access and egress. This continuing violation was most recently observed on December 4, 2015, when employees were egressing the exterior top plates of a residential home project, approximately eight feet in height, by dropping from this surface to the lower level without the employer providing a ramp, runway, sloped embankment, personnel hoist, or any other deliberate means of egress. The employer's ongoing obligation is to ensure the appropriate number and type of access devices are properly located for employee use.

Issued

2016-03-23 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-04-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4950.00 · Current $4950.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(5)(i): Non-self-supporting ladders were not used at an angle such that the horizontal distance from the top support to the foot of the ladder was approximately one-quarter of the working length of the ladder (the distance along the ladder between the foot and the top support).  a)  Springford Estates, Lot 7 - The employer does not ensure that extension ladders are properly set. This continuing violation was most recently observed on or about December 4, 2015, when an extension ladder used by the employees to access the second story of a residential home project was set at an angle where the top support to the foot of the ladder was substantially in excess of one-quarter of the working length of the ladder. The employer's ongoing obligation is to ensure that an unsupported ladder is set at the appropriate angle to ensure its loading is properly distributed to the ladder's side rails.

Issued

2016-03-23 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-04-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(6): Unsecured ladder(s) were used on surfaces that were not stable and level:  a)  Springford Estates, Lot 7 - On or about December 4, 2015, the employer does not ensure that extension ladders are stable. This continuing violation was most recently observed on or about December 4, 2015, when an unsecured aluminum extension ladder was placed over a covered floor hole to access an upper working surface where its base was not set on a stable and level surface as its bottom most ladder rung was placed against a single 2 inch by 4 inch nominal wall stud as a means of supporting its entire loaded weight. The employer's ongoing obligation is to ensure that an unsupported ladder is set in a manner that permits the ladder's non-slip feet to bear the entirety of its load.

Issued

2016-03-23 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-04-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(9): The area around the top and/or bottom of (a) ladder(s) was not kept clear:  a)  Springford Estates, Lot 7 - the employer does not ensure that extension ladders are properly set so that the areas around the tops and bottoms of the ladders are kept clear. This continuing violation was most recently observed on or about December 4, 2015, when an extension ladder used by the employees to access the second story of a residential home project was set where the bottom of the ladder was placed directly against a roughed in wall frame, leaving no unobstructed access to the ladders base. The employer's ongoing obligation is to ensure that extension ladder's are set where employees may freely access the ladder prior to climbing.

Issued

2016-03-23 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-04-04 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $69300.00 · Current $69300.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.501(b)(13): Each employee(s) engaged in residential construction activities 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels were not protected by guardrail systems, safety net system, or personal fall arrest system, nor were employee(s) provided with an alternative fall protection measure under another provision of paragraph 1926.501(b):   a)  Springford Estates, Lot 7 - The employer does not ensure that appropriate fall protection equipment or methods are in use. This continuing violation was most recently observed on or about December 4, 2015, when employees performing frame carpentry activities on a residential home project from the exterior and interior wall top plates, between eight and approximately 25 feet above grade, were working without utilizing any means of fall protection. The employer's ongoing obligation is to ensure that the necessary fall protection equipment and/or methods are in use for the duration of the fall hazard.    b)  Springford Estates, Lot 7 - The employer does not ensure that appropriate fall protection equipment or methods are in use. This continuing violation was most recently observed on or about December 4, 2015, when employees performing frame carpentry activities on a residential home project were exposed to an floor opening, approximately eight feet in width and eight feet above a lower level, without utilizing any means of fall protection. The employer's ongoing obligation is to ensure that the necessary fall protection equipment and/or methods are in use for the duration of the fall hazard.    c)  Springford Estates, Lot 7 - The employer does not ensure that appropriate fall protection equipment or methods are in use. This continuing violation was most recently observed on or about December 4, 2015, when employees performing frame carpentry activities on a residential home project were exposed to window openings which did not have top rail protection placed at 42 (+/- 3) inches above the floor level with an exterior fall hazard of approximately 12 feet above grade. The employer's ongoing obligation is to ensure that the necessary fall protection equipment and/or methods are in use for the duration of the fall hazard.     Berlin Builders, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health Standard, which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1070291, citation number 1, item number 2 and was affirmed as a final order on August 10, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 207 Pearl Street, Lakewood, NJ 08701; and OSHA inspection number 1070286, citation number 1, item number 3 and was affirmed a final order on August 10, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 16 and 17 Grand Ave., Lakewood, NJ 08701; and OSHA inspection number 1083200, citation number 1, item number 1 and was affirmed a final order on October 5, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at Lot 200, Tuscan Drive, Parkside Development, Middleton, DE 19709.

Issued

2016-03-23 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-04-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $11880.00 · Current $11880.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.28(a): The employer did not require the wearing of appropriate personal protective equipment in all operations where there is an exposure to hazardous conditions.  a)  Springford Estates, Lot 7 - The employer does not ensure that safety eyewear is worn during the operation of pneumatic nail guns. This continuing violation was most recently observed on December 4, 2015, when employees using pneumatic nail guns to perform frame carpentry work were not utilizing any means of eye protection. The employer's ongoing obligation is to ensure the constant use of impact resistant safety eyewear during the operation of pneumatic nail guns and related tools.            Berlin Builders, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of a similar Occupational Safety and Health Standard, 29 CFR 1926.102(a) which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1070286, citation number 1, item number 2 and was affirmed a final order on August 10, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 16 and 17 Grand Ave., Lakewood, NJ 08701.

Issued

2016-03-23 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-04-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $13860.00 · Current $13860.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(13): The top or top step of a stepladder was used as a step:  a)  Springford Estates, Lot 7 - The employer does not ensure that employees performing work from portable stepladders are not using the top step as a step. This continuing violation was most recently observed on December 4, 2015, when employees were working from the top step of stepladder to access the exterior and interior top plates of a residential home project. The employer's ongoing obligation is to ensure that portable stepladders are using in accordance with generally accepted safe ladder work practices to include, but not limited to, prohibiting top step usage.    Berlin Builders, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health Standard which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1070291, citation number 1, item number 4a and was affirmed as a final order on August 10, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 207 Pearl Street, Lakewood, NJ 08701.

Issued

2016-03-23 00:00:00

Abate by

2016-04-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $396.00 · Current $396.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(16): Portable ladders with structural defects, such as, but not limited to, broken or missing rungs, cleats, or steps, broken or split rails, corroded components, or other faulty or defective components, were not either immediately marked in a manner that readily identifies them as defective, or tagged with "Do Not Use" or similar language, and were not withdrawn from service until repaired.  a)  Springford Estates, Lot 7 - the employer does not ensure that damaged extension ladders are removed from service. This continuing violation was most recently observed on or about December 4, 2015, when an extension ladder used by the employees to access the second story of a residential home project had multiple deeply dented ladder rungs. The employer's ongoing obligation is to ensure that extension ladders are carefully inspected and removed from service when structural defects are identified.     Berlin Builders, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this Occupational Safety and Health Standard, which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1070286, citation number 1, item number 4 and was affirmed a final order on August 10, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 16 and 17 Grand Ave., Lakewood, NJ 08701.