OSHA Inspection: MODS INTERNATIONAL INC.

Issued

Sep 8, 2017

Abate by

Oct 6, 2017

Penalty

Initial $406 · Current $406

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1903.19(c)(1): Within 10 calendar days after the abatement date, the employer must certify to OSHA (the Agency) that each cited violation has been abated, except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.  The employer did not certify that the citations issued on June 16, 2017 related to Hearing Conservation and Hazard Communication were abated.

Issued

Sep 8, 2017

Abate by

Oct 6, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1903.19(d)(1): The employer must submit to the Agency, along with the information on abatement certification required by paragraph (c)(3) of this section, documents demonstrating that abatement is complete for each willful or repeat violation and for any serious violation for which the Agency indicates in the citation that such abatement documentation is required.  The employer did not provide abatement documentation proving that the hazards related to Hearing Conservation and Hazard Communication were abated for the citations that were issued on June 16, 2017.

Issued

Jun 16, 2017

Abate by

Aug 10, 2017

Penalty

Initial $5,070 · Current $5,070

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1):  The employer shall administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program, as described in paragraphs (c) through (o) of this section, whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level (TWA) of 85 decibels measured on the A scale (slow response) or, equivalently, a dose of fifty percent. For purposes of the hearing conservation program, employee noise exposures shall be computed in accordance with appendix A and Table G-16a, and without regard to any attenuation provided by the use of personal protective equipment:  In the West Fabrication area, a Welder/Fabricator employee was exposed to noise at 86% (noise dose) of the allowable noise dose of 50% during a sample period of 227 minutes during one shift on March 24, 2017. 86% is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA sound level of 88.9 dBA.  All provisions of 29 CFR 1910.95(c) through (n) must be covered in a hearing conservation program. Key elements include, but are not limited to the following:  1)  Noise level monitoring 2)  Audiometric testing 3)  Wearing of hearing protection 4)  Training program 5)  Providing copies of standard to employees 6)  Recordkeeping

Issued

Jun 16, 2017

Abate by

Aug 10, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(1): The employer shall establish and maintain an audiometric testing program as provided in this paragraph by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 85 decibels.  On or about March 24, 2017, the employer did not establish an audiometric testing program when a Welder/Fabricator employee was exposed to noise exceeding 85 dBA as an 8-hour TWA.

Issued

Jun 16, 2017

Abate by

Aug 10, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(k)(1):  The employer shall train each employee who is exposed to noise at or above an 8-hour time weighted average of 85 decibels in accordance with the requirements of this section. The employer shall institute a training program and ensure employee participation in the program:  On or about March 24, 2017, the employer did not train a Welder/Fabricator employee who was exposed to noise exceeding 85 dBA as an 8-hour TWA in accordance with the requirements of this section and the employer did not institute a training program.  All training topics required by this section must be included in a training program. Key elements include, but are not limited to the following:  1)  The effects of noise on hearing 2)  The purpose of hearing protectors, the advantages, and disadvantages,  3)  The attenuations of various types of hearing protectors 4)  Instruction on selection, fitting, use and care of hearing protectors 5)  The purpose of audiometric testing, and an explanation of the test procedures

Issued

Jun 16, 2017

Abate by

Jul 26, 2017

Penalty

Initial $2,897 · Current $2,897

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1):  Employers shall develop, implement, and maintain at each workplace, a written hazard communication program which at least describes how the criteria specified in paragraphs (f), (g), and (h) of this section for labels and other forms of warning, safety data sheets, and employee information and training will be met:  On or about March 20, 2017, the employer did not maintain a written hazard communication program and all of its elements when Welder/Fabricator employees were working with welding wires, metal fumes, compressed gases and paints.  All provisions of 29 CFR 1910.1200(e) through (h) must be covered in a written hazard communication program. Key elements include, but are not limited to the following:  1)  List of hazardous chemicals 2)  Labeling of containers 3)  Safety Data Sheet collection 4)  Employee information and training

Issued

Jun 16, 2017

Abate by

Jul 26, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): Employers shall provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new chemical hazard the employees have not previously been trained about is introduced into their work area. Information and training may be designed to cover categories of hazards (e.g., flammability, carcinogenicity) or specific chemicals. Chemical-specific information must always be available through labels and safety data sheets.  On or about March 20, 2017, the employer did not provide Welder/Fabricator employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work areas at the time of their initial assignments. Employees were not trained on the hazards of the chemicals that they worked with nor where they trained on the availability or location of safety data sheets (SDS).  All provisions of the hazard communication standard's training paragraph 29 CFR 1910.1200(h) must be effectively trained to employees. Key elements include, but are not limited to the following:  1)  The requirement of the hazard communication standard 2)  Any work operations where hazard chemicals are present 3)  Location and availability of the:      -hazard communication program      -list of hazardous chemicals      -SDS collection

Issued

Jun 16, 2017

Abate by

Jul 26, 2017

Penalty

Initial $5,794 · Current $5,794

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8):  The employer shall maintain in the workplace copies of the required safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical, and shall ensure that they are readily accessible during each work shift to employees when they are in their work area(s). (Electronic access and other alternatives to maintaining paper copies of the safety data sheets are permitted as long as no barriers to immediate employee access in each workplace are created by such options.):  On or about March 20, 2017, the employer did not maintain in the workplace copies of the required safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals used by Welder/Fabricator employees such as but not limited to welding wire, metal fumes from welding and plasma cutting of steel, compress gasses for welding and plasma cutting, and paints.  The MODS International Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 988175, citation number 1, item number 3 and was affirmed as a final order on October 27, 2014, with respect to a workplace located at 5523 Integrity Way, Appleton, WI 54913.