OSHA Inspection: AMSPEC CHEMICAL CORPORATION

Issued

Jul 28, 2017

Abate by

Aug 16, 2017

Penalty

Initial $1,956 · Current $1,369 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0230

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) Ribbon Blender Operation - On or about May 8, 2017, the employer failed to establish a written respiratory protection program for an employee who is required to wear a respirator while exposed to antimony at airborne levels in excess of 0.5 mg/m3, the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for antimony.    Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19, the employer must submit 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 employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Jul 28, 2017

Abate by

Aug 9, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0230

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) Ribbon Blender Operation - On or about March 8, 2017, the employer failed to provide medical evaluations for an employee who is required to wear a respirator while exposed to antimony at airborne levels in excess of 0.5 mg/m3, the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for antimony.  Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19, the employer must submit 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 employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Jul 28, 2017

Abate by

Aug 11, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0230

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) Ribbon Blender Operation - On or about May 8, 2017 the employer failed to fit test the respirator worn by an employee who is required to wear a respirator while exposed to antimony at airborne levels in excess of 0.5 mg/m3, the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for antimony.  Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19, the employer must submit 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 employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Jul 28, 2017

Abate by

Oct 31, 2017

Penalty

Initial $2,445 · Current $1,712 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0230

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2):  Employee(s) were exposed to airborne concentrations of antimony as listed in Table Z-2 in excess of 0.50 mg/m3 as an 8-hour Time Weighted Average (TWA) concentration:    a) Ribbon Blender Operation - On or about May 8, 2017, the employer failed to prevent employee exposure to an airborne concentration of antimony greater than an eight-hour average exposure of 0.50 mg/m3, the OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) for antimony.    An employee operating the ribbon blender bagging machine was exposed to airborne antimony at an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA) airborne concentration of 0.92 mg/m3, an exposure 1.84 times the OSHA PEL for antimony.  The duration of employee air sampling was 363 minutes and zero was assumed for any unsampled time when calculating the eight-hour TWA.    Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19, the employer must submit 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 employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Jul 28, 2017

Abate by

Oct 31, 2017

Penalty

Initial $2,445 · Current $1,712 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0230

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 1010.1000 (a) through (d):     a) Ribbon Blender Operation - On or about May 8, 2017, the employer failed to ensure that feasible administrative or engineering controls were implemented to keep employee exposure to airborne antimony at or below the permissible exposure level of 0.50 mg/m3 as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) exposure.    Pursuant to 29 CFR 1903.19, the employer must submit 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 employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.