OSHA Inspection: HAMMOND GROUP INC

Issued

Aug 29, 2016

Abate by

Aug 17, 2019

Penalty

Initial $8,177 · Current $9,821

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(c)(1): Employee(s) were exposed to lead at concentrations greater than fifty micrograms per cubic meter of air averaged over an eight-hour period:    a) Production area: An employee dismantling used air filters and conducting various activities throughout the plant including closing waste drums was exposed to inorganic lead as an eight hour time weighted average (TWA) of 0.39 mg/m3. This level is 7.8 times the permissible exposure level of 0.05 mg/m3. This exposure occurred over a 335 minute sampling period on March 31, 2016. A zero exposure is assumed for the time not sampled.      b) Production area: An employee, Barton Operator, conducting normal operations such as collecting samples, beating down the pipes, and operating the automatic drosser was exposed to inorganic lead as an 8hr TWA of 0.16 mg/m3. This level is 3.2 times the permissible exposure level of 0.05 mg/m3. This exposure occurred over a 471 minute sampling period on June 24, 2016. A zero exposure is assumed for the time not sampled.      c) Production area: An employee, Barton Operator, conducting normal operations such as collecting samples, beating down the pipes, and cleaning was exposed to inorganic lead as an 8hr TWA of 0.09 mg/m3. This level 1.8  times the permissible exposure level of 0.05 mg/m3. This exposure occurred over a 471 minute sampling period on June 24, 2016. A zero exposure is assumed for the time not sampled.

Issued

Aug 29, 2016

Abate by

Aug 17, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(e)(1)(i): For any employees exposed to lead above the permissible exposure limit for more than 30 days per year the employer did not implement engineering and work practice controls (including administrative controls) were not implemented to reduce and maintain employee exposure to lead :     a) Production area: An employee dismantling used air filters and conducting various activities throughout the plant including closing waste drums was exposed to lead above the permissible exposure limits and feasible engineering controls were not implemented, on or about March 31, 2016. (See Citation 2.1a for a full description)      b) Production area: Employees, Barton Operators, conducting normal activities such as collecting samples, beating down the pipes, cleaning, and operating the automatic drosser was exposed to lead above the permissible exposure limits and feasible engineering controls were not implemented, on or about June 24, 2016. (See Citation 2.1b and 2.1c for a full description)      Feasible abatement methods include but are not limited to:  1. Use local ventilation when dismantling air filters and closing waste drums.  2. Remove severely damaged or crushed drums from the facility.  3. Evaluate and implement controls to ensure oxide is moving through the pipes to reduce or eliminate the need for beat down.  4. Develop housekeeping procedures to reduce the amount of dust present on surfaces.  5.  Make sure auto-drossers are functioning on a regular basis by performing additional maintenance or otherwise improving their functioning.  6.  Improve ventilation in barton area for times when employee must perform manual drossing.    ABATEMENT STEPS ARE AS FOLLOW:      STEP 1 - As an interim measure, effective respiratory protection shall be provided to and used by exposed employees until feasible and/or administrative controls can be implemented or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee exposure to within permissible exposure limits.      STEP 2 - A written detailed plan of abatement shall be submitted to the Area Director outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measures to control employee exposures to hazardous substances as referenced in this citation. This plan shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the following actions which must be consistent with the dates required by this citation:      1.  Evaluation of engineering control options;      2.  Selection of optimum control method and completion of design;      3.  Procurement, installation and operation of selected control measures;      4.  Testing and acceptance or modification/redesign of controls.      Note: All proposed control measures shall be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person. Thirty- (30) day progress reports are required during the abatement period.  (The 30 day requirement can be shortened or lengthened by the area director depending on the specific circumstances.)      STEP 3 - Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.

Issued

Aug 29, 2016

Abate by

Sep 23, 2016

Penalty

Initial $8,177 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(3)(i)(B)(1): The employer did not select a respirator for employee use that maintained the employee's exposure to the hazardous substance, when measured outside the respirator, at or below the maximum use concentration:     a) Production area: An employee who was dismantling ventilation filters was exposed to 0.92 mg/m3 of lead over 115 minute sampling period on March 31, 2016. This exposure level exceeded the allowable maximum use concentration of 0.5 mg/m3 for employee wearing a half face respirator while conducting these tasks on and prior to March 30, 2016.    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 that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Aug 29, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(d)(7): Additional exposure monitoring was not conducted when there was a change in production, process, control or personnel, or any other reason to suspect a change that may have resulted in new or additional exposure to lead:    a) Production area: Employees were dismantling used air filters using a handsaw and reciprocating saw and the process was not monitored to determine employee exposure to lead, on or about March 31, 2016.     No abatement certification or documentation required.

Issued

Aug 29, 2016

Abate by

Sep 23, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(e)(3)(ii)(A): The written compliance program did not include a description of each operation in which lead is emitted:    a) Production area: Employees were dismantling used air filters using a handsaw and a reciprocating saw and the written compliance program did not include a description of this operation, on or about March 31, 2016.    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 that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Aug 29, 2016

Abate by

Sep 23, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(e)(3)(ii)(B): The written compliance program did not include a description of the specific means that will be employed to achieve compliance:    a) Production area: Employees were dismantling used air filters using a handsaw and a reciprocating saw and the written compliance program did not include a description of the specific means that were employed to achieve compliance, on or about March 31, 2016.    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 that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.