OSHA Inspection: STELLAR ENERGY CONTRACTORS, INC.

Issued

Sep 1, 2017

Abate by

Oct 10, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1): A written respiratory protection program with required worksite-specific procedures , as specified in subparagraphs (c)(1)(i) through (ix) of this section was not established and implemented where respirator(s) were necessary to protect the health of the employee or, whenever respirator(s) were required by the employer:  (a)  Stellar Energy Contractors, Inc., 4018 Youngfield Street, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033: On and before 3/24/2017, Stellar Energy Contractors did not establish and maintain a written respiratory protection program, as specified in subparagraphs (c)(1)(i) through (ix), for employees required to wear respirators during work operations.  Employees use 3M brand 8511 N95 particulate and 3M half face piece 6291 respirators while working inside attics and craw spaces. This condition potentially exposed employees to a respiratory hazard.  Abatement Note: The employers written respiratory program shall include at least the following: 1. Procedures for selecting respirators for use in the workplace; 2. Medical evaluations of employees required to use respirators; 3. Fit testing procedures for tight-fitting respirators; 4. Procedures for proper use of respirators in routine and reasonably foreseeable emergency situations; 5. Procedures and schedules for cleaning, disinfecting, storing, inspecting, repairing, discarding, and otherwise maintaining respirators; 6. Procedures to ensure adequate air quality, quantity, and flow of breathing air for atmosphere-supplying respirators; 7. Training of employees in the respiratory hazards to which they are potentially exposed during routine and emergency situations; 8. Training of employees in the proper use of respirators, including putting on and removing them, any limitations on their use, and their maintenance; and 9. Procedures for regularly evaluating the effectiveness of the program.  Abatement Note: Please review the sample respiratory protection program outlined in the "Small Entity Compliance Guide for the Respiratory Protection Standard" (2011) on pages 101-111.

Issued

Sep 1, 2017

Abate by

Oct 10, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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)   Stellar Energy Contractors, Inc., 4018 Youngfield Street, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033:  On and before 3/24/17 the employer did not provide medical evaluations to determine each employee's ability to use a respirator before the employee was fit tested or required to use a respirator in the workplace.  This condition may allow employees with pre-existing medical conditions to use respirators when they are not physically capable of doing so. The employer has assigned the use of 3M 8511 N95 particulate and 3M half face piece 6291 respirators for use in attics and crawl spaces.

Issued

Sep 1, 2017

Abate by

Oct 10, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2) The employer did not ensure each employee using a tight-fitting facepiece respirator was fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator, or whenever a different respirator facepiece (size, style, model or make) was used, and at least annually thereafter:     (a)  Stellar Energy Contractors, Inc., 4018 Youngfield Street, Wheat Ridge, CO:  The employer did not ensure employees provided with and required to use 3M half facepiece respirators (#6291) were fit tested prior to use.   Abatement Note:  The employer shall establish a record of the qualitative and quantitative fit tests administered to an employee including:  The name or identification of the employee tested;  Type of fit test performed;  Specific make, model, style, and size of respirator tested;  Date of test; and  The pass/fail results for QLFTs or the fit factor and strip chart recording or other recording of the test results for QNFTs.

Issued

Sep 1, 2017

Abate by

Sep 18, 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 contained in 1910.134 Appendix D, in written or verbal format to employees who wear respirators when such use is not required by this section or by the employer:   (a)  Stellar Energy Contractors, Inc., 4018 Youngfield Street, Wheat Ridge, CO:  On and before 3-24-2017 Stellar Energy Contractors did not provide advisory information on respirators, as presented in Appendix D of this section, in written or verbal format to employees who wear respirators when such use is not required by this section or by the employer.  At times the employer allowed employees to voluntarily wear N95 filtering facepiece respirators when working in crawl spaces, attics, and/or dusty conditions.  The employer did not provide the basic advisory information as presented in Appendix D.  This condition potentially exposed employees to a respiratory hazard.   Abatement Note:    Appendix D to Sec. 1910.134 (Mandatory) Information for Employees Using Respirators When Not Required Under the Standard   Respirators are an effective method of protection against designated hazards when properly selected and worn. Respirator use is encouraged, even when exposures are below the exposure limit, to provide an additional level of comfort and protection for workers. However, if a respirator is used improperly or not kept clean, the respirator itself can become a hazard to the worker. Sometimes, workers may wear respirators to avoid exposures to hazards, even if the amount of hazardous substance does not exceed the limits set by OSHA standards. If your employer provides respirators for your voluntary use, or if you provide your own respirator, you need to take certain precautions to be sure that the respirator itself does not present a hazard.   Employers must provide the following information to employees:   1. Read and heed all instructions provided by the manufacturer on use, maintenance, cleaning and care, and warnings regarding the respirators limitations.   2. Choose respirators certified for use to protect against the contaminant of concern. NIOSH, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, certifies respirators. A label or statement of certification should appear on the respirator or respirator packaging. It will tell you what the respirator is designed for and how much it will protect you.   3. Do not wear your respirator into atmospheres containing contaminants for which your respirator is not designed to protect against. For example, a respirator designed to filter dust particles will not protect you against gases, vapors, or very small solid particles of fumes or smoke.   4. Keep track of your respirator so that you do not mistakenly use someone else's respirator.

Issued

Sep 1, 2017

Abate by

Oct 10, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.503(a)(1): The employer did not provide a training program for each employee potentially exposed to fall hazards to enable each employee to recognize the hazards of falling and the procedures to be followed in order to minimize these hazards:   (a) Stellar Energy Contractors, Inc., 4018 Youngfield Street, Wheat Ridge, CO:  On and before 3-24-2017, the employer had not developed and implemented a Fall Protection training program for employees who work on roofs over 6 feet from lower levels.   Abatement Note: The employer shall ensure each employee has been trained, as necessary, by a competent person qualified in the following areas:   i)      The nature of fall hazards in the work area.  ii)     The correct procedures for erecting, maintaining, disassembling, and inspecting the fall protection systems to be used.  iii)   The use and operation of guardrails systems, personal fall arrest systems, safety net systems, warning line systems, safety monitoring systems, controlled access zones, and other protection to be used.  iv)   The role of each employee in the safety monitoring system when this system is used.  v)     The limitations on the use of mechanical equipment during the performance of roofing work on low-sloped roofs.  vi)   The correct procedures for the handling and storage of equipment and materials and erection of overhead protection.  vii) The role of employees in fall protection plans when utilized.  viii)  The standards contained in OSHA Subpart M titled Fall Protection.Abatement Note:    Upon completion of the Fall Protection training described above, the employer must verify compliance by preparing a written (training) certification record including the name of the employee trained, the date(s) of the training, and the signature of the person who conducted the training or signature of the employer.