OSHA Inspection: DIRECT IMPORT HOME DECOR INC.

Issued

Mar 21, 2016

Penalty

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

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, the employer did not develop and implement a monitoring program:    On or about February 18, 2016, the employer failed to administer all parts of a continuing and effective hearing conservation program; the employer failed to conduct initial monitoring.      a) One employee was expsoed to continuous noise at 85.6% of the action level, dose of fifty percent. The expsoure above the action level  (8-hour time weighted average sound level of 85 dBA) was equivalent to 88.9 dBA during the 373 minute sampling period on February 18, 2016; exposure calculations inlcuded a zero increment for the 107 minutes not sampled.     b) One employee was expsoed to continuous noise at 77.7% of the action level, dose of fifty percent. The expsoure above the action level  (8-hour time weighted average sound level of 85 dBA) was equivalent to 88.2 dBA during the 397 minute sampling period on February 18, 2016; exposure calculations inlcuded a zero increment for the 83 minutes not sampled.

Issued

Mar 21, 2016

Abate by

Apr 23, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:  On or about February 18, 2016, the employer failed to administer all parts of a continuing and effective hearing conservation program; the employer did not establish and maintain an audiometric testing program.    a) One employee was expsoed to continuous noise at 85.6% of the action level, dose of fifty percent. The expsoure above the action level  (8-hour time weighted average sound level of 85 dBA) was equivalent to 88.9 dBA during the 373 minute sampling period on February 18, 2016; exposure calculations inlcuded a zero increment for the 107 minutes not sampled.   b) One employee was expsoed to continuous noise at 77.7% of the action level, dose of fifty percent. The expsoure above the action level  (8-hour time weighted average sound level of 85 dBA) was equivalent to 88.2 dBA during the 397 minute sampling period on February 18, 2016; exposure calculations inlcuded a zero increment for the 83 minutes not sampled.

Issued

Mar 21, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(i)(4): The employer did not provide training in the use and care of all hearing protectors provided to employees:  On or about February 18, 2016, the employer failed to administer all parts of a continuing and effective hearing conservation program; the employer failed to adequately train employees in the proper use of their hearing protection.    a) One employee was expsoed to continuous noise at 85.6% of the action level, dose of fifty percent. The expsoure above the action level  (8-hour time weighted average sound level of 85 dBA) was equivalent to 88.9 dBA during the 373 minute sampling period on February 18, 2016; exposure calculations inlcuded a zero increment for the 107 minutes not sampled.   b) One employee was expsoed to continuous noise at 77.7% of the action level, dose of fifty percent. The expsoure above the action level  (8-hour time weighted average sound level of 85 dBA) was equivalent to 88.2 dBA during the 397 minute sampling period on February 18, 2016; exposure calculations inlcuded a zero increment for the 83 minutes not sampled.

Issued

Mar 21, 2016

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2)(ii): The employer did not establish and implement those elements of a written program necessary to ensure that any employee using a respirator voluntarily was medically able to use that respirator:    On or about February 18, 2016, the employer failed to conduct medical evaluations on employees who were allowed to wear respirators voluntarily.

Issued

Mar 21, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(6): The employer did not provide the basic advisory information on respirators, as presented in Appendix D of 29 CFR 1910.134, in written or oral format to employees who wear respirators when such use was not required by the employer:  On or about February 18, 2016, the employer failed to provide employees who voluntarily wore filtering face-pieces and half-mask respirators with the information contained in Appendix D of the respirator standard.

Issued

Mar 21, 2016

Penalty

Initial $1,200 · Current $720 Reduced

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:    On or about February 18, 2016, the employer failed to provide portable fire extinguisher training.      Note the employer may exercise one of the following options:     1. Provide portable fire extinguishers as specified in 29 CFR 1910.157(c)(1), meet the distribution requirements per 29 CFR 1910.157(d) (75 to the nearest extinguisher for Class A fires and 50 to the nearest unit for Class B fires), and provide training and education for all employees in the use of such equipment and the hazards associated with incipient stage fire fighting as specified in 29 CFR 1910.157(g).  The other sections of 29 CFR also apply.     2. Provide extinguishers as specified in 29 CFR 1910.157(c)(1), designate certain employees to be the only employees authorized to use such equipment and require all other employees to immediately evacuate upon the sound of the fire alarm, establish this in writing in an emergency action plan as outlined in 29 CFR 1910.38(a) and train/educate designated employees per 1910.157(g).  Utilizing this option exempts the employer from distribution requirements of 29 CFR 1910.157(d).     3. Establish a written fire safety policy which requires the immediate and total evacuation of employees from the workplace upon the sounding of a fire alarm signal.  This policy shall include an emergency action plan and a fire prevention plan as specified in 29 CFR 1910.38(a) and 29 CFR 1910.39(a).  Utilizing this option exempts the employer from the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.157 to include the need for providing portable fire equipment unless a specific standard requires that a portable fire extinguisher be provided (such as those requirements in 29 CFR 1910.106/107 related to the use/storage of flammable/combustible liquids).  If extinguishers are provided, but not intended for employee use, 29 CFR 1910.157(e) and (f) are still applicable (inspection, maintenance, and testing of equipment).

Issued

Mar 21, 2016

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.242(b): Compressed air used for cleaning purposes was not reduced to less than 30 p.s.i.:    On or about February 18, 2015, the employer failed to reduce the compressed air at or below 30 psi for employees cleaning the silica dust off of themselves in the dry room.

Issued

Mar 21, 2016

Abate by

May 23, 2016

Penalty

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

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(c): An employee was exposed to respirable dust containing crystalline silica  in excess of the 8-hour time weighted average limits of (0.492 mg/m3) listed in Table Z-3:    The employee operating the grinding and polishing equipment in the Dry Room was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average concentration of 0.995 milligrams respirable dust containing crystalline silica per cubic meter of air (mg/m3) which is 2.022 times the permissible exposure limit of 0.492 mg/m3. The sampling was performed for 398 minutes during one shift on February 18, 2016. Zero exposure was assumed for the un-sampled period of time (82 minutes). Exposure to respirable dust containing crystalline silica causes cumulative lung disease in humans. Engineering and work practice controls can be used to reduce employee exposure.

Issued

Mar 21, 2016

Abate by

May 23, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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):  For the employees including, but not limited to, the employee whose exposure is described in Citation 1, Item 6(a).   On or about February 18, 2016, the employee operating the grinding and polishing equipment in the Dry Room was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average concentration of 0.995 milligrams respirable dust containing crystalline silica per cubic meter of air (mg/m3) which is 2.022 times the permissible exposure limit of 0.492 mg/m3. The sampling was performed for 398 minutes during one shift on February 18, 2016. Zero exposure was assumed for the un-sampled period of time (82 minutes).  At this time employees are being exposed to levels above the PEL and the employer shall require mandatory use of a respirator until feasible engineering controls can be put in place.   General methods of control include, but are not limited to:  1. Install dust control apparatuses on the grinding, cutting, and polishing equipment.  2. Use an exhaust ventilation system to capture silica dust.   3. Use wet-cutting methods to control silica dust exposure.

Issued

Mar 21, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,680 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:    On or about February 18, 2016, the employer did not develop, implement, and maintain a written hazard communication program which includes the components of chemical labeling, maintaining safety data sheets, and employee training. Employees are exposed to chemicals including but not limited to, silica, acetone, propane, and stains. Employees are not trained and SDSs are not maintained at the facility.

Issued

Mar 21, 2016

Abate by

Apr 14, 2016

Penalty

Initial $400 · Current $240 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.29(b)(1): A Log of all recordable work-related injuries and illnesses (OSHA Form 300 or equivalent) was not completed in the detail as required by the regulation:    On or about February 18, 2016, the employer failed to keep injury and illness logs as required by the standard.