OSHA Inspection: COSMEC, INC.

Issued

Mar 9, 2017

Abate by

May 31, 2017

Penalty

Initial $8,873 · Current $3,549 Reduced

Hazardous substances 043024602590

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.94(c)(4)(iv): Spray rooms used for production spray-finishing operations did not conform to the requirements for spray booths:    (a) In the spray room where two employees conducted production spray-finishing operations and were exposed to breathing hazardous chemical vapors and fire and explosion hazards. The spray room did not conform to the requirements for spray booths.

Issued

Mar 9, 2017

Penalty

Initial $8,873 · Current $3,549 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 1910.9(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:    This violation occurred in the production floor of the Cosmec, Inc. facility where the employer had not administered a hearing conservation program for employees exposed to noise that had exceeded an 8-hour TWA of 85 dBA, based on an 80 db threshold.    (a) An employee operating a K&T Milling machine, Blanchard Grinder, and conducting metalwork was exposed to continuous noise levels at 113.4% of the permissible 8-hour TWA.  The equivalent level of 113.4% is approximately 90.91 dBA.  Sampling was performed for 323 minutes during one shift. Zero exposure was assumed for the 157 minutes not sampled.

Issued

Mar 9, 2017

Penalty

Initial $8,873 · Current $3,549 Reduced

Hazardous substances 167524602590

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1): A written respiratory protection program that included the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix) with worksite specific procedures was not established and implemented for required respirator use:    (a) In the paint spray room where the employer allowed two employees to use a 3M half face elastomeric respirator while conducting spray finishing operations without having a written respiratory program in place.

Issued

Mar 9, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 032016752590

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) In the spray room where employees were required to use half face elastomeric respirators while conducting spray-finishing operations without a medical evaluation to determine the employee's fitness to wear a respirator.

Issued

Mar 9, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0430167524602590

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) In the spray painting room where employees, required to use half face elastomeric respirators while conducting production spray-finishing operations, were not required to pass a qualitative fit test or quantitative fit test.

Issued

Mar 9, 2017

Abate by

Apr 4, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 032016752590

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:  (a) In the paint spray room where the employer allowed one employee to use a 3M half face elastomeric respirator that had not been maintained. The respirator contained paint residue on the inside of the mask.

Issued

Mar 9, 2017

Abate by

Apr 4, 2017

Penalty

Initial $8,873 · Current $3,549 Reduced

Hazardous substances D108

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.151(c): Where employees were exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body were not provided within the work area for immediate emergency use:    (a) In the spray room area where two employees worked with a corrosive paint component during spray-finishing operations and an eye wash was not provided in the work area.

Issued

Mar 9, 2017

Abate by

Apr 4, 2017

Penalty

Initial $8,873 · Current $3,549 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.:    (a) In the machine shop area where employees used compressed air at greater than 30 p.s.i. to clean milling and grinding machines.

Issued

Mar 9, 2017

Abate by

Apr 4, 2017

Penalty

Initial $8,873 · Current $3,549 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0320043024602590

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:    (a) In the paint spray room area where the employer did not have a written hazard communication program in place and employees used paints containing hazardous components such as Toluene, Benzene, Xylene, and Methyl Ethyl Ketone. Employees were exposed to chemical hazards.

Issued

Mar 9, 2017

Abate by

Apr 4, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3)(ii): Employee training did not include the physical and health hazards of the chemicals in the work area:  (a) In the spray painting room area where the employer did not provide training to employees on the physical and health hazards of the corrosive paint components they used during spray-finishing operations.

Issued

Mar 9, 2017

Abate by

Apr 4, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 043024602590

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3)(iii): Employee training did not include the measures employees can take to protect themselves from chemical hazards, including specific procedures the employer had implemented to protect employees from exposure to hazardous chemicals, such as appropriate work practices, emergency procedures and personal protective equipment to be used:  (a) In the paint spray room area where the employer did not train employees on the protective measures they could take to protect themselves from chemical hazards.  Employees used paints containing hazardous components such as Toluene, Benzene, Xylene, and Methyl Ethyl Ketone.