OSHA Inspection: NORTH RIDGE CONTRACTING INC.

Issued

Oct 13, 2016

Abate by

Dec 1, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,988 · Current $2,494 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(a)(2): The respiratory protection program did not cover each employee required by 29 CFR 1910.134 to use a respirator: (Construction Reference 1926.103)    Preparation Areas - The employer did not ensure that the respiratory program covered all employees exposed to airborne lead contaminants.

Issued

Oct 13, 2016

Abate by

Oct 27, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,988 · Current $2,494 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1): The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee was fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace: (Construction Reference 1926.103)    Lead Blasting Areas - On June 1, 2016, employees performing abrasive blasting to remove lead and wearing the NOVA 3 respirator did not have a medical evaluation prior to the use of the respirator in the workplace.

Issued

Oct 13, 2016

Abate by

Oct 21, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,988 · Current $2,494 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(h)(1)(i): Respirators issued for the exclusive use of an employee were not cleaned and disinfected as often as necessary to be maintained in a sanitary condition:  (Construction Reference 1926.103)    Basement Floor Lead Blasting Area - The employer did not ensure employees, using supplied air blasting helmets, cleaned and disinfected the respirator at the end of the previous day or cleaned and disinfected it prior to use.

Issued

Oct 13, 2016

Abate by

Oct 21, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(h)(2)(i): Respirators were not stored to protect them from damage, contamination, dust, sunlight, extreme temperatures, excessive moisture, and damaging chemicals or  were not packed or stored to prevent deformation of the facepiece and exhalation valve:  (Construction Reference 1926.103)  Basement Floor Lead Blasting Area -  An employee left the supplied air abrasive blasting hood on the floor outside the containment of the lead blasting containment area, exposing it to airborne and surface dust.

Issued

Oct 13, 2016

Abate by

Dec 1, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,988 · Current $2,494 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.62(c)(1): Employees were exposed to lead at concentrations greater than fifty micrograms per cubic meter of air averaged over an eight-hour period:    Employees were exposed to lead concentrations of the following:    a)    Preparation Areas - An employee was exposed to airborne lead at an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) concentration of 62 micrograms per cubic meter which is 1.24 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 micrograms per cubic meter. The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over a 426 minute sampling period on June 1, 2016. Zero exposure was assumed for the 54 minutes not sampled.    b)    Lead Blasting Areas - An employee was exposed to airborne lead at an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) concentration of 16000 micrograms per cubic meter which is 320.47 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 micrograms per cubic meter. The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over a 424 minute sampling period on June 1, 2016.  Zero exposure was assumed for the 56 minutes not sampled.     c)    Lead Blasting Areas - An employee was exposed to airborne lead at an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) concentration of 7600 micrograms per cubic meter which is 152.09 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 micrograms per cubic meter. The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over a 424 minute sampling period on June 1, 2016.  Zero exposure was assumed for the 56 minutes not sampled.

Issued

Oct 13, 2016

Abate by

Dec 1, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.62(e)(1): The employer did not implement all feasible engineering and work practice controls, including administrative controls, to reduce and maintain employee exposure to lead to or below the permissible exposure limit:  a)    Preparation Area, First Floor - The employer did not implement any engineering or work practice controls to reduce and maintain employee exposure to lead at or below the PEL.  b)    Lead Blasting Area, Basement - The employer did not implement any engineering or work practice controls to reduce and maintain employee exposure to lead at or below the PEL.

Issued

Oct 13, 2016

Abate by

Dec 1, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,988 · Current $2,494 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.62(d)(1)(iii): The employer did not collect personal samples representative of a full shift, including at least one sample for each job classification in each work area, either for each shift or for the shift with the highest exposure level:    Abrasive Blasting and Preparation Areas - The employer did not collect personal samples representative of each job classification in each work area.

Issued

Oct 13, 2016

Abate by

Dec 1, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,988 · Current $2,494 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.62(g)(2)(i): The employer did not provide the protective clothing required in 29 CFR 1926.62(g)(1) in a clean and dry condition at least daily for employees whose exposure levels, without regard to respirator use, were over 200 micrograms per cubic meter of lead as an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA):    Sand Blasting Area - Employees performing abrasive blasting operations were exposed to concentrations of 16000 and 7600 micrograms per cubic meter of lead as an 8-hour time weighted average and were not provided protective clothing in a clean and dry condition on a daily basis.

Issued

Oct 13, 2016

Abate by

Dec 1, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.62(g)(2)(v): The employer did not ensure that contaminated protective clothing which was to be cleaned, laundered, or disposed of, or was placed in a closed container in the change area that prevented dispersion of lead outside the container:  Sand Blasting and Preparation Areas - The employer did not ensure that contaminated clothing worn by employees was cleaned, laundered, or disposed of or placed in a closed container in the change area that prevented the dispersion of lead outside the container.  Employees in these areas were exposed to airborne lead levels above the PEL.

Issued

Oct 13, 2016

Abate by

Dec 1, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,988 · Current $2,494 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.62(h)(1): All surfaces were not maintained as free as practicable of accumulations of lead:    The following areas were not maintained free as practicable of accumulations of lead -    a)    Preparation Area, First Floor - Visual black airborne contaminants were emitted up through the floor from the areas being lead blasted in the basement.  When vacuumed, black contaminants continued to be seen in large quantities on the floor and lead wipes indicated the presence of lead.     b)    Clean Areas, First Floor  - Visual black airborne contaminants were emitted up through the floor from the areas being lead blasted in the basement.  When vacuumed, black contaminants continued to be seen in large quantities on the floor and lead wipes indicated the presence of lead.     c)    Basement Areas, Outside of Containment - Visual black airborne contaminants were emitted through opening in the basement containment area.  These areas were not vacuumed and bulk tests indicated the presence of lead.

Issued

Oct 13, 2016

Abate by

Dec 1, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,988 · Current $2,494 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.62(i)(2)(i): The employer did not provide clean change areas for employees whose airborne exposure to lead was above the permissible exposure limit, without regard to the use of respirators:    Preparation Area - The employer did not provide a clean changing area to the preparation employee(s) whose exposure to lead was over the permissible exposure limit.

Issued

Oct 13, 2016

Abate by

Nov 1, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,988 · Current $2,494 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.62(i)(3)(i): The employer did not provide shower facilities, where feasible, for use by employees whose airborne exposure to lead was above the permissible exposure limit:    Sandblasting and Preparation Areas - Shower facilities were not available to employees whose airborne exposures to lead were above the permissible exposure limit.

Issued

Oct 13, 2016

Abate by

Nov 1, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,988 · Current $2,494 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.62(i)(5)(i): The employer did not provide adequate handwashing facilities in accordance with 29 CFR 1926.51(f), for use by employees exposed to lead:    Preparation and Sandblasting Areas - The employer did not provide adequate handwashing facilities to employees.

Issued

Oct 13, 2016

Abate by

Nov 1, 2016

Penalty

Initial $3,563 · Current $1,782 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.62(m)(1)(i): The employer did not post the following warning signs in each work area where an employee's exposure to lead was above the PEL     DANGER   LEAD WORK AREA   MAY DAMAGE FERTILITY OR THE UNBORN CHILD   CAUSES DAMAGE TO THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM   DO NOT EAT, DRINK OR SMOKE IN THIS AREA    Saco Mill - The employer did not post the following sign in the areas where an employee's exposure to lead was above the Permissible Exposure Limit -    DANGER   LEAD WORK AREA   MAY DAMAGE FERTILITY OR THE UNBORN CHILD   CAUSES DAMAGE TO THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM   DO NOT EAT, DRINK OR SMOKE IN THIS AREA

Issued

Oct 13, 2016

Abate by

Oct 27, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,138 · Current $1,069 Reduced

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: (Construction Reference: 1926.59)    Preparation Areas - Employees were not provided effective information and training on the hazards of the EZ FLO spray foam that contained hazardous chemicals including but not limited to isocyanates.

Issued

Oct 13, 2016

Abate by

Oct 27, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,138 · Current $1,069 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(1): Employers did not have a safety data sheet in the workplace for each hazardous chemical with which they use.    Preparation Areas - Employees did not have a safety data sheet for the EZ FLO spray foam used on the mill floors which contained hazardous chemicals for example but not limited to isocyanates.