OSHA Inspection: EASTERN SURFACES, INC

Issued

Jan 24, 2017

Abate by

Feb 13, 2017

Penalty

Initial $6,234 · Current $3,117 Reduced

Hazardous substances 81108111

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) Polishing Department: An employee, Polisher, using pneumatic handheld polishers and grinders was exposed to continuous noise at 68.4% of the permissible exposure level of 80 dBA or an eight-hour time-weighted average of 87.2 dBA. This exposure was observed over a 472 minute sampling period on December 2, 2016. Annual audiograms were not provided to the employee within 12 months of the previous audiogram, on or about December 5, 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

Jan 24, 2017

Abate by

Feb 13, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 81108111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(k)(2): The training program was not repeated annually for each employee included in the hearing conservation program. Information in the training program was not updated to be consistent with changes in protective equipment and work processes:  a) Polishing Department: An employee, Polisher, using pneumatic handheld polishers and grinders was exposed to continuous noise at 68.4% of the permissible exposure level of 80 dBA or an eight-hour time-weighted average of 87.2 dBA. This exposure was observed over a 472 minute sampling period on December 2, 2016. Annual training related to noise was not provided to the employee annually, on or about December 5, 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

Jan 24, 2017

Penalty

Initial $6,234 · Current $4,364 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(1)(ii): Unused openings in boxes, cabinets, or fittings were not effectively closed:    a) Solid Surfaces Production Area: Electrical boxes attached to a workbench did not have all openings closed exposing employees to electrical shock when placing their silicone gun in the opening, on or about December 2, 2016.     No abatement certification or documentation required.

Issued

Jan 24, 2017

Penalty

Initial $4,987 · Current $3,491 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9010

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) Facility wide: Employees were exposed to crystalline silica and other chemicals while cutting, grinding, and polishing granite, quartz and solid surface countertops and the employer did not have a written hazard communication program, on or about November 22, 2016.     No abatement certification or documentation required.

Issued

Jan 24, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8): The employer did not maintain copies of the required material safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical in the workplace:  a) Facility wide: Employees were exposed to chemicals including crystalline silica when cutting, grinding, and polishing granite, quartz, and solid surface countertops and the facility did not have safety data sheets for all chemicals in the workplace, on or about November 22, 2016  No abatement certification or documentation required.

Issued

Jan 24, 2017

Abate by

Feb 13, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(6): The employer did not provide the basic advisory information on respirators, as presented in Appendix D of 29 CFR 1910.134, in written or oral format to employees who wear respirators when such use was not required by the employer:  a) Solid Surface Production Area: employees voluntarily wearing 3M N95 filtering face piece respirators were not provided with the information in Appendix D of the standard, on or about November 22, 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.