OSHA Inspection: APEX HOMES OF PA LLC

Issued

Jul 26, 2016

Abate by

Aug 13, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(6): At least annually after obtaining the baseline audiogram, the employer did not obtain a new audiogram for each employee exposed at or above an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels :    a) An employee, Floor Framer, was exposed to continuous noise at 67.9% of the exposure level of 90 dBA or an 8-hour time-weighted average of 87.2 dBA.  This exposure was observed over a 189 minute sampling period.  Zero exposure was assumed for the 291 minutes not sampled.  The employer did not provide annual audiograms for those employees exposed over the action level of 85 dBA, as discovered on or about June 16, 2016.    b) An employee, Floor Nailer, was exposed to continuous noise at 67.8% of the exposure level of 90 dBA or an 8-hour time-weighted average of 87.1 dBA.  This exposure was observed over a 187 minute sampling period.  Zero exposure was assumed for the 293 minutes not sampled.  The employer did not provide annual audiograms for those employees exposed over the action level of 85 dBA, as discovered on or about June 16, 2016.      ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jul 26, 2016

Abate by

Aug 13, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1073

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(a): Protective equipment was not used when necessary whenever hazards capable of causing injury and impairment were encountered:  a) During floor adhesive spraying, an employee sprayed an isocyanate and polyether polyol mixture that presented a skin absorption and sensitization hazard and this employee did not wear chemical resistant clothing that protected his chest, abdomen, arms, and forearms, as discovered on or about June 16, 2016.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jul 26, 2016

Abate by

Aug 13, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1073

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.133(a)(1): Protective eye equipment was not required where there was a reasonable probability of injury that could be prevented by such equipment:  a)  In the adhesive spray gun cleaning area, an employee was exposed to chemical splash hazards during disassembly and cleaning of the spray gun components and did not wear appropriate eye protection (goggles) as specified by the chemical's material safety data sheet, as discovered on or about June 16, 2016.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jul 26, 2016

Abate by

Aug 13, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1073

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.138(a): The employer did not select and require employee(s) to use appropriate hand protection when employees' hands were exposed to hazards such as those from skin absorption of harmful substances; severe cuts or lacerations; severe abrasion; punctures; chemical burns; thermal burns; and harmful temperature extremes:  a) During floor adhesive spraying, an employee sprayed an isocyanate and polyether polyol mixture that presented a skin absorption and sensitization hazard and this employee did not wear chemical resistant gloves, as discovered on or about June 16, 2016.  b) During adhesive gun cleaning, an employee utilized a solvent based cleaner to wash parts that contained an isocyanates and polyether polyol mixture and this employee did not wear chemical resistant gloves, as discovered on or about June 16, 2016.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jul 26, 2016

Abate by

Aug 13, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $2,100

Hazardous substances 1073

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.141(a)(3)(ii): Floor(s) of workroom(s) were not maintained, so far as practical, in a dry condition:  a) In the isocyanate and polyol storage room, deposits of hazardous chemical liquids were observed on the floor and the floor was not maintained in a clean and dry condition, as discovered on or about June 16, 2016.    b) At the adhesive spray gun cleaning station, deposits of hazardous chemical liquids were observed on the floor and the floor was not maintained in a clean and dry condition, as discovered on or about June 16, 2016.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jul 26, 2016

Abate by

Aug 13, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $2,800

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(b)(2): Listed or labeled electrical equipment was not used or installed in accordance with instructions included in the listing or labeling:  a) In the isocyanate and polyol storage room, the electrical installation (conductors and fittings) for the single toggle light switch were not installed in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications, as discovered on or about June 16, 2016.  b) In the isocyanate and polyol storage room, the electrical installation (conductors and fittings) for the heating thermostat were not installed in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications, as discovered on or about June 16, 2016.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jul 26, 2016

Abate by

Aug 13, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(g)(2)(i): Except as elsewhere required or permitted by Subpart S of Part 1910, live parts of electric equipment operating  at 50 volts or more were not guarded against accidental contact by use of approved cabinets or other forms of approved enclosures or by any of the means identified in paragraphs (A), (B), (C), and (D) of 29 CFR 1910.303(g)(2)(i):  a) In the isocyanate and polyol storage room, at the Gusmer ISO and Polyol pump heater, the connections from the low voltage transformer to the first segment hose heating elements had connections sealed only with wire nuts which were not enclosed in an approved enclosure, as discovered on or about June 16, 2016.  b) In the isocyanate and polyol storage room, a single breaker box was missing its cover and contained exposed live parts, as discovered on or about June 16, 2016.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jul 26, 2016

Abate by

Aug 13, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1073

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(6)(i): 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 information required by 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(1)(i) through 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(1)(v)  a) An employee cleaned an adhesive spray gun with the hazardous chemical solvent, Naturalthane, and the chemical's container was not labeled with a product identifier; signal word; hazard statements; pictograms; precautionary statements; and, name, address, and telephone number of the chemical manufacturer, importer, or other responsible party, as discovered on or about, June 16, 2016.   ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jul 26, 2016

Abate by

Aug 13, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

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:  a) An employee, Drywall Painter/Sander, was required to wear tight-fitting negative-pressure respirator during drywall sanding operations and the employer did not provide this employee with a respirator medical evaluation, as discovered on or about June 16, 2016.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jul 26, 2016

Abate by

Aug 13, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(1): The employer did not ensure that employee(s) required to use a tight-fitting facepiece respirator passed the appropriate qualitative fit test (QLFT) or quantitative fit test (QNFT):  a) An employee, Drywall Painter/Sander, was required to wear tight-fitting negative-pressure respirator during drywall sanding operations and the employer did not provide this employee with a respirator fit test, as discovered on or about June 16, 2016.  ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jul 26, 2016

Abate by

Apr 17, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2): Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of particulates not otherwise regulated listed in Table Z-1 in excess of the 8 hour Time Weighted Average concentration of 15 milligrams per cubic meter:    a) An employee, Drywall Sander, was exposed to particulate not otherwise regulated (PNOR) at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 19.89 milligrams per cubic meter of air, approximately 1.3 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air.  Sampling was performed for 112 minutes on June 16, 2016.  Zero exposure was assumed for the 368 minutes not sampled.      ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED

Issued

Jul 26, 2016

Abate by

Apr 17, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

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) An employee, Drywall Sander, was exposed to particulate not otherwise regulated (PNOR) at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 19.89 milligrams per cubic meter of air, approximately 1.3 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air.  Sampling was performed for 112 minutes on June 16, 2016.  Zero exposure was assumed for the 368 minutes not sampled.  The employer did not implement feasible administrative and/or engineering controls to reduce employee exposure levels to below the Permissible Exposure Limit for PNOR.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED    GENERAL METHODS OF CONTROL APPLICABLE IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:    1) Use a long handled sander when performing sanding on the ceilings or high portions of the walls.    2) Use a powered sander which has integral dust collection mounted to the sanding head and is connected to a vacuum unit.    3) Use self-contained powered dust collectors in the work area which filter the dust out of the air before exhausting it back into the workplace.    Abatement Schedule    Step 1 - 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 abatement dates required by this citation:        (1)  Evaluation of engineering/administrative control options;        (2)  Selection of optimum control methods and completion of design;        (3)  Procurement, installation and operation of selected control measures;        (4) Testing and acceptance or modification/redesign of controls.    All proposed control measures shall be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person. 30 day progress reports are required during the abatement period.    Step 2 - Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and /or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.    Date by Which Violation Must be Abated: STEP - 1 (Linda 15 day date goes here)    Date by Which Violation Must be Abated: STEP - 2 (Linda 60 day date goes here)