OSHA Inspection: S&K STONE INCORPORATED

Issued

Nov 9, 2016

Abate by

May 31, 2017

Penalty

Initial $2,423 · Current $1,726 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(c): An employee(s) was exposed to Silica, Crystalline Quartz, (respirable) in excess of the 8-hour time weighted average limits listed in Table Z-3:    a) Production building, a sliding table saw operator was exposed to Silica, Crystalline Quartz, (respirable) at an 8 hour time weighted average of 0.701 milligrams per cubic meter of air (mg/M3) while cutting stone.  The exposure was 1.26 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 0.556 mg/M3.  The PEL was established to prevent silicosis.  The exposure was established over 455 minutes of personal sampling conducted on September 16, 2016.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED

Issued

Nov 9, 2016

Abate by

May 31, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9010

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) Production building, a sliding table saw operator was exposed to Silica, Crystalline Quartz, (respirable) at an 8 hour time weighted average of 0.701 milligrams per cubic meter of air (mg/M3) while cutting stone.  Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not implemented to reduce the employee exposure, September 16, 2016.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED    General methods of control would include, but are not limited to the following:     1. Move one of the floor pusher fans so that it keeps the dust cloud generated by the saw away from the employee as it travels to the wall mounted exhaust fans.     2. Install rubber sheet or fabric bristle skirting on the lower portion of the saw blade enclosure. The skirting should be as close to the stone surface as possible and should direct airflow and mist towards the rear and downward.  No part of the skirting should produce buffeting which may direct dust outwards towards the operators.    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.        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     (15 days)       Date by Which Violation Must be Abated:    STEP - 2     (90 days)

Issued

Nov 9, 2016

Abate by

Jan 2, 2017

Penalty

Initial $1,817 · Current $908 Reduced

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) Production building, a sliding table saw operator who was exposed to Silica, Crystalline Quartz, (respirable) wore a negative pressure respirator and did not receive a medical evaluation, on or about, September 16, 2016.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Nov 9, 2016

Abate by

Jan 2, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9010

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) Production building, a sliding table saw operator who was exposed to Silica, Crystalline Quartz, (respirable) wore a negative pressure respirator and did not receive a fit test, on or about, September 16, 2016.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

Nov 9, 2016

Abate by

Jan 16, 2017

Penalty

Initial $1,817 · Current $908 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1): The employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.95(c) through (o) whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale, or equivalently a dose of fifty percent:    a) Production building, the sliding table saw operator was exposed to  continuous noise levels at 121% of the allowable eight (8)-hour time weighted sound level of 90 decibels (dBA).  The equivalent dBA level of 121% is approximately 91 dBA.  The sampling was performed for 356 minutes on September 16, 2016. (Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.)   A continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.95(c) through (n) was not instituted.    b) Production building, an arm saw operator was exposed to  continuous noise levels at 114% of the allowable eight (8)-hour time weighted sound level of 90 decibels (dBA).  The equivalent dBA level of 114% is approximately 90 dBA.  The sampling was performed for 464 minutes on September 16, 2016. A continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.95(c) through (n) was not instituted.    c) Production building, an assistant arm saw operator was exposed to  continuous noise levels at 127% of the allowable eight (8)-hour time weighted sound level of 90 decibels (dBA).  The equivalent dBA level of 127% is approximately 91 dBA.  The sampling was performed for 470 minutes on September 16, 2016. (Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.)   A continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.95(c) through (n) was not instituted.    d) Production building, an employee performing thermaling was exposed to  continuous noise levels at 93% of the allowable eight (8)-hour time weighted sound level of 90 decibels (dBA).  The equivalent dBA level of 93% is approximately 89 dBA.  The sampling was performed for 352 minutes on September 16, 2016. (Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.)   A continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.95(c) through (n) was not instituted.      ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED    ABATEMENT NOTE:      A comprehensive, effective hearing conservation program consisting of the following elements shall be developed and implemented for all employees whose exposure equals or exceeds 85 dBA on an 8-hour time weighted average:    1. Initial exposure monitoring and periodic reassessment of employees to determine noise exposures.    2. Establishment and maintenance of an annual audiometric testing program for all employees who work in the facility.    3. Provision and enforcement of hearing protection devices for all employees who work in the facility.    4. Institution of an initial training program for all employees, as well as annual refresher training, including information on the hazards of noise, purpose of audiometric testing, and proper use of hearing protectors.    5. Maintenance of records as they relate to employee exposure measurements, medical examinations, and training.