OSHA Inspection: PALMETTO GUNITE CONSTRUCTION CO., INC.

Issued

Jun 1, 2017

Abate by

Sep 5, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $2,000

Hazardous substances 9010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.55(a): Employee(s) were exposed to material(s) at concentrations above those specified in the Threshold Limit Values of Airborne Contaminants for 1970 of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists:    (a) On or about 4/11/17, at the above address, an employee who operated a pneumatic chipping hammer to remove delaminated concrete from pile caps located underneath the pier at the Wando Welch Terminal, was overexposed to respirable silica dust at a concentration of 4.86 mg/m3 (equivalent to 48.56 mppcf), expressed as an 8-hour time-weighted average of approximately 13.84 times the daily Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 0.35 mg/m3 (equivalent to 7.94 mppcf) based on a 434 minute sampling period. Exposure calculations included a zero-increment for the 46 minutes not sampled.    (b) On or about 4/11/17, at the above address, an employee who operated a pneumatic chipping hammer to remove delaminated concrete from pile caps located underneath the pier at the Wando Welch Terminal, was overexposed to respirable silica dust at a concentration of 4.08 mg/m3 (equivalent to 40.82 mppcf), expressed as an 8-hour time-weighted average of approximately 12.72 times the daily Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 0.32 mg/m3 (equivalent to 7.32 mppcf) based on a 441 minute sampling period. Exposure calculations included a zero-increment for the 39 minutes not sampled.    (c) On or about 4/11/17, at the above address, an employee who operated a pneumatic chipping hammer to remove delaminated concrete from pile caps located underneath the pier at the Wando Welch Terminal, was overexposed to respirable silica dust at a concentration of 2.65 mg/m3 (equivalent to 26.49 mppcf), expressed as an 8-hour time-weighted average of approximately 8.2 times the daily Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 0.32 mg/m3 (equivalent to 7.35 mppcf) based on a 456 minute sampling period. Exposure calculations included a zero-increment for the 24 minutes not sampled.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION IS REQUIRED

Issued

Jun 1, 2017

Abate by

Sep 5, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.55(b): Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not implemented to reduce employee exposure(s):    (a) On or about April 11, 2017, three employees operating pneumatic chipping hammers to remove delaminated concrete from pile caps below the pier at the Wando Welch Terminal were overexposed to respirable crystalline silica. General methods of control applicable in these circumstances include, but are not limited to the following:    1. Use chipping hammers with water delivery systems that supply a continuous stream  or spray of water at the point of impact or use such a tool equipped with a commercially available shroud and dust collection system that provides sufficient air flow to capture airborne dust at the source and a filter with 99% or greater efficiency.    Disclaimers:    1. The employer is not limited to the abatement methods suggested by OSHA;  2. The methods explained are general and may not be effective in all cases; and  3. The employer is responsible for selecting and carrying out an effective abatement plan            Abatement Schedule    STEP 1: Effective respiratory protection shall be provided and used by exposed employees as an interim protective measure until feasible engineering controls can be implemented or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee exposures to within permissible exposure limits.    STEP 2: A written detailed plan of abatement shall be submitted to the Area Director outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering 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 abatement dates required by this citation:    1. Evaluation of engineering control options;  2. Selection of optimum control methods and completion of design;  3. Procurement, installation, and operation of selected control measures; and  4. Testing and acceptance of modification/redesign of controls.    NOTE: All proposed control measures shall be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or technically qualified person.    STEP 3: Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.      Date by Which Violation Must be Abated: STEP-1  Date (1 day)  Date by Which Violation Must be Abated: STEP-2  Date (30 days)    Date by Which Violation Must be Abated: STEP-3  Date (90 days)

Issued

Jun 1, 2017

Abate by

Jul 6, 2017

Penalty

Initial $3,622 · Current $2,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(1)(iii):     The employer did not identify and evaluate the respiratory hazard(s) in the workplace, including a reasonable estimate of employee exposures to respiratory hazards and identification of the contaminant's chemical state and physical form:    (a) The employer did not conduct personal air monitoring to assess employee exposures to respirable dust containing silica generated during pneumatic chipping of delaminated concrete from pile caps.     (b) The employer did not conduct personal air monitoring to assess employee exposures to respirable dust containing silica generated during the spraying of gunite.    (c) The employer did not conduct personal air monitoring to assess employee exposures to respirable dust containing silica generated during bead blasting of concrete surfaces.     ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION IS REQUIRED

Issued

Jun 1, 2017

Penalty

Initial $3,622 · Current $2,000 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: (Construction Reference 1926.103)    (a) The employer did not provide medical evaluations for three employees who were required to wear N95 disposable filtering facepiece respirators while chipping delaminated concrete from pile caps.

Issued

Jun 1, 2017

Abate by

Jun 21, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2): Employee(s) using tight-fitting facepiece respirators were not fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator, whenever a different respirator facepiece (size, style, model or make) was used, and at least annually thereafter: : (Construction Reference 1926.103)    (a) Three employees who were required to wear tight-fitting full-face cartridge respirators while chipping and grinding delaminated concrete from concrete piles had not been fit tested prior to initial use of the respirators.     ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION IS REQUIRED

Issued

Jun 1, 2017

Abate by

Jul 6, 2017

Penalty

Initial $2,897 · Current $881 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8110

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.52(d)(1): In all cases where the sound levels exceeded the values shown in Table D-2 of 29 CFR 1926.52, a continuing, effective hearing conservation program was not administered:    (a)  On April 11, 2017, three employees were determined to be exposed to noise in excess of an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) sound level of 90 decibels while operating pneumatic chipping hammers to remove delaminated concrete from pile caps underneath the pier at the Wando Welch Terminal. The employer had not administered an effective hearing conservation program.    An effective hearing conservation program consists of the following:      * Monitoring of employee noise exposures  * Institution of engineering, work practice, and administrative controls for excessive noise  * Provide overexposed employees with individually fitted hearing protectors with adequate noise reduction ratings  * Employee training and education regarding noise hazards and protection measures  * Baseline and annual audiometry  * Procedures for preventing further occupational hearing loss by an employee whenever such an event has been identified  * Recordkeeping

Issued

Jun 1, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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) The employer did not maintain a written hazard communication program at the workplace where employees were potentially exposed to gasoline, diesel fuel, and silica.