OSHA Inspection: PURRFECT ENTERPRISES, INC.

Issued

May 23, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,680 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.36(d)(1): An exit door must be unlocked. Employee(s) were not able to open an exit route door from the inside at all times without keys, tools, or special knowledge:  a) Towel Department: Employees were performing work near a designated emergency exit that was locked, on or about, 12/28/15.  b) Boiler Room: Employees were monitoring controls on a high steam pressure boiler near a designated emergency exit that was locked, on or about, 12/28/15.

Issued

May 23, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,680 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(a)(3): Exit route(s) were not kept free and unobstructed:  a) Towel Department: Employees were performing work near a designated emergency exit that was blocked by laundry carts and other equipment, thus hindering safe evacuation from the building, on or about, 12/28/15.   b) Drying/Washing Department: Employees were performing work near a designated emergency exit that was blocked by laundry carts, thus hindering safe evacuation from the building, on or about, 12/28/15.

Issued

May 23, 2016

Abate by

Jun 10, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $1,260 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(f)(1): The employer did not provide training to each employee who is required by this section to use personal protective equipment:  a) Conveyor/Soiled Department: An employee who sorts and loads soiled linen onto a conveyor system in preparation for the wash cycle was not wearing hand protection, as required by the employer. The employer did not offer training on the use of personal protective equipment, on or about, 3/17/16 and 5/12/16.

Issued

May 23, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.138(a): General requirements. Employers shall select and require employees to use appropriate hand protection when employees' hands are exposed to hazards such as those from skin absorption of harmful substances; severe cuts or lacerations; severe abrasions; punctures; chemical burns; thermal burns; and harmful temperature extremes:  a) Conveyor/Soiled Department: An employee who was handling soiled linen, was not wearing hand protection which was required by the employer. The employer did not ensure that hand protection was worn when handling soiled linen, on or about, 3/17/16 and 5/12/16.

Issued

May 23, 2016

Abate by

Jun 10, 2016

Penalty

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

Hazardous substances C730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(1)(iii): The employer did not identify and evaluate the respiratory hazard(s) in the workplace; including a reasonable estimate of employee exposures to respiratory hazards and identification of the contaminant's chemical state and physical form:  a) Boiler Room: A breech in the boiler flue on a Columbia High Pressure Firetube Boiler, became detached during operation, resulting in the release of carbon monoxide gas in the immediate area as well as surrounding work areas. The employer did not identify and evaluate respiratory hazards associated with the operation of the boiler system, thus exposing employees to inhalation of chemical hazards, on or about, 12/28/15.

Issued

May 23, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances C730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2): Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of  carbon monoxide listed in Table Z-1 in excess of the 8 hour Time Weighted Average concentration of  50 parts per million:  a) Soiled Department: An employee performing work at a location adjacent to the boiler room was exposed to carbon monoxide during a 60 minute occupational exposure at a mean calculated 1251.5 parts per million carbon monoxide level. The carboxyhemoglobin level in the employee's blood reached a calculated peak of 33.3%. The 8-hour Time Weighted Average (TWA) concentration of carbon monoxide was 156.4 parts per million, which is 3.12 times the OSHA-PEL of 50 ppm.  The employer did not ensure that employee exposure to carbon monoxide was below the permissible exposure limit, thus exposing employees to a chemical hazard, on or about, 12/28/15.

Issued

May 23, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances C730

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):   a) Soiled Department: An employee performing work at a location adjacent to the boiler room was exposed to carbon monoxide during a 60 minute occupational exposure at a mean calculated 1251.5 parts per million carbon monoxide level. The carboxyhemoglobin level in the employee's blood reached a calculated peak of 33.3%. The 8-hour Time Weighted Average (TWA) concentration of carbon monoxide was 156.4 parts per million, which is 3.12 times the OSHA-PEL of 50 ppm.  The employer did not ensure that feasible administrative or engineering controls were implemented, thus exposing employees to a chemical hazard, on or about, 12/28/15.

Issued

May 23, 2016

Abate by

Jun 17, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,680 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.151(c): Where employees were exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body were not provided within the work area for immediate emergency use:  a) Washing Area: Employees pour Clorox bleach into washing machines. The employer did not install an eyewash station in the immediate area, thus exposing employees to eye and skin irritation, on or about, 12/28/15.

Issued

May 23, 2016

Abate by

Jul 14, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,680 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.157(g)(1): An educational program was not provided for all employees to familiarize them with the general principles of fire extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage fire fighting:    a) Facility-Wide: Where fire extinguishers are provided and employees are expected to evacuate the building, the employer did not provide employee training or develop a written fire prevention plan and an emergency action plan, which details procedures for alerting employees and safely evacuating the building, on or about, 12/28/15.

Issued

May 23, 2016

Abate by

Jul 14, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.157(g)(2): The educational program to familiarize employees with the general principles of fire extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage fire fighting was not provided to all employees upon initial employment, and at least annually thereafter:    a) Facility-Wide: Where fire extinguishers are provided and employees are expected to evacuate the building, the employer did not provide employee training on emergency evacuation, on or about, 12/28/15.

Issued

May 23, 2016

Abate by

Jun 17, 2016

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.264(d)(2)(i)(a): No safeguard, safety appliance, or device attached to, or forming an integral part of any machinery shall be removed:  a) Drying/Washing Department: Employees performing work on a Norman Industrial Drying machine were exposed to an unguarded belt and pulley that was less than seven feet from the floor. The employer did not ensure that the belt and pulley was guarded, thus exposing employees to potential amputation hazards, on or about, 12/29/15.  b) Towel Department: An employee was exposed to an unguarded belt and pulley that was less than seven feet from the floor, while operating a Bunn Package Tying Machine. The employer did not ensure that the belt and pulley was guarded, thus exposing employees to potential amputation hazards, on or about, 5/12/16.

Issued

May 23, 2016

Penalty

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

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) Drying/Washing Department: Employees work with hazardous chemicals, including, but not limited to, Builderlin Alkali Builder/Break, Bright Safe, Clorox bleach and Vortex Sour. The employer did not develop and implement a written hazard communication program, on or about, 12/28/16.

Issued

May 23, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(5)(i): The employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged or marked with the identity of the hazardous chemical(s) contained therein:  Or in the alternative,  29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(6)(ii): Except as provided in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(7) and 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(8), the employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged or marked with the product identifier and words, pictures, symbols, or combination thereof, which provide at least general information regarding the hazards of the chemicals and which, in conjunction with the other information immediately available to employees under the hazard communication program, would provide employees with the specific information regarding the physical and health hazards of the hazardous chemical.  a) Maintenance Department: An unlabeled spray bottle, which contained antifreeze was located in the maintenance department, on or about, 3/17/16.

Issued

May 23, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(5)(ii): The employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged or marked with the appropriate hazard warnings:  Or in the alternative:  29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(6)(ii): Except as provided in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(7) and 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(8), the employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged or marked with the product identifier and words, pictures, symbols, or combination thereof, which provide at least general information regarding the hazards of the chemicals and which, in conjunction with the other information immediately available to employees under the hazard communication program, would provide employees with the specific information regarding the physical and health hazards of the hazardous chemical.

Issued

May 23, 2016

Abate by

Jun 10, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8):   The employer did not maintain in the workplace copies of the required safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical, and did not ensure that they were readily accessible during each work  shift to employees when they were in their work area(s):  Soiled Department: An employee was using Clorox Bleach and a safety data sheet was not available. The employer did not ensure that safety data sheets were available for Clorox bleach, on or about, 12/28/15.

Issued

May 23, 2016

Abate by

Jun 10, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:  a) Drying/Washing Department: Employees work with hazardous chemicals, including but not limited to, Builderlin Alkali Builder/Break, Bright Safe, Clorox Bleach and Vortex Sour. The employer did not provide hazard awareness training covering the health effects and methods by which employees can protect themselves from the hazards, on or about, 12/28/15.

Issued

May 23, 2016

Abate by

Jun 10, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.264(d)(1)(iii): Markers and others handling soiled clothes shall be warned against touching the eyes, mouth, or any part of the body on which the skin has been broken by a scratch or abrasion; and they shall be cautioned not to touch or eat food until their hands have been thoroughly washed:  a) Conveyor/Soiled Department: An employee who sorts and loads soiled linen and other cloth material onto a conveyor belt, was not informed of hazards associated with soiled linen and skin contact. The employer did not warn affected employees of hazards associated with handling soiled linen and contact with skin, on or about, 3/17/16 and 5/12/16.