OSHA Inspection: ABE'S TRASH SERVICE, INC.

Issued

Oct 30, 2017

Abate by

Nov 27, 2017

Penalty

Initial $6,338 · Current $6,338

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2)(ii): The employer did not establish and implement those elements of a written program necessary to ensure that any employee using a respirator voluntarily was medically able to use that respirator, and that the respirator was cleaned, stored, and maintained so that its use does not present a health hazard to the user:  The employer is failing to protect employees from hazards including but not limited to limited to pulmonary and cardiac distress.  This was most recently documented on July 20, 2017 at 8123 Christensen Ln, Omaha, NE 68122.  The employer has not established and implemented elements of a written respiratory protection program to ensure employees are medically able to use a respirator while employees wear 3M 5300 half face respirators with organic vapor cartridges while spraying enamel paint, and while employees wear a Clemco supplied air hood when sandblasting.

Issued

Oct 30, 2017

Abate by

Nov 27, 2017

Penalty

Initial $6,338 · Current $6,338

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:  The employer is failing to protect employees from hazards including but not limited to limited to pulmonary and cardiac distress.  This was most recently documented on July 20, 2017 at 8123 Christensen Ln, Omaha, NE 68122.  The employer has not provided medical evaluations to employees to ensure they are medically able to use a respirator while employees wear 3M 5300 half face respirators with organic vapor cartridges when spraying enamel paint, and while employees wear a Clemco supplied air hood when sandblasting.

Issued

Oct 30, 2017

Abate by

Nov 27, 2017

Penalty

Initial $6,338 · Current $6,338

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2): Employees using tight-fitting facepiece respirators were not fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator, and annually thereafter:  The employer is failing to protect employees from hazards including but not limited to limited to respiratory tract irritation and pulmonary distress.  This was most recently documented on July 20, 2017 at 8123 Christensen Ln, Omaha, NE 68122.  The employer has not ensured employees are fit tested for the use 3M 5300 half face respirators with organic vapor cartridges that are worn while spraying enamel paint.

Issued

Oct 30, 2017

Abate by

Nov 27, 2017

Penalty

Initial $8,873 · Current $8,873

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.252(a)(3)(i): Welding, cutting, or other hot work was performed on used drums, barrels, tanks, or other containers that had not been cleaned so thoroughly as to make absolutely certain there were no flammable materials present or any substance such as greases, tars, acids, or other materials which when subjected to heat, might produce flammable or toxic vapors:  The employer is failing to protect employees from fire and explosion hazards.  This was most recently documented on or about July 12, 2017 at 8123 Christensen Ln, Omaha, NE 68122.  A diesel fuel tank from a McNeilus refuse collection truck was not thoroughly cleaned of flammable materials and substances prior to employees welding a patch on the tank.

Issued

Oct 30, 2017

Abate by

Apr 2, 2018

Penalty

Initial $6,338 · Current $6,338

Hazardous substances 1520

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.252(c)(2)(i)(A): Mechanical ventilation was not provided in a space of less than 10,000 cubic feet (284 m3) per welder:  The employer is failing to protect employees from respiratory hazards including but not limited to limited to pneumoconiosis.  This was most recently documented on July 20, 2017 at 8123 Christensen Ln, Omaha, NE 68122.  Mechanical ventilation was not provided inside the 664 cubic feet enclosed box of a McNeilus garbage truck,   where an employee was MIG welding mild steel.

Issued

Oct 30, 2017

Abate by

Apr 2, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1520

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2): Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of iron oxide fume listed in Table Z-1 in excess of the 8 hour Time Weighted Average concentration of 10 milligrams per cubic meter:  The employer is failing to protect employees from respiratory hazards including but not limited to limited to pneumoconiosis.  This was most recently documented on July 20, 2017 at 8123 Christensen Ln, Omaha, NE 68122.  The following monitored employee was overexposed to iron oxide fume in excess of the 8-hour Personal Exposure Limit (PEL):    Welder #1 was exposed to iron oxide fume at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 27.3745 milligrams per cubic meter, 2.7375 times the PEL of 10 milligrams per cubic meter of air. Personal air sampling was performed for 444 minutes on 07/20/2017 while the employee MIG welded mild steel inside the enclosed box of a McNeilus refuse collection truck.  Abatement certification and abatement documentation is required for this violation. The documentation should include written verification of abatement, applicable measurements or monitoring results, and photographs or videos which you believe will be helpful. The abatement certification sheet is enclosed with the citations.  Step 1 - Effective respiratory protection shall be provided and used by exposed employees as an interim protective measure until feasible engineering and/or administrative controls can be implemented or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee exposure to within permissible exposure limits. (PPE - 30 days)    Step 2 - Submit to the Area Director a written, detailed plan of abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measures to control employee exposure 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/administrative control option; 2) Selection of optimum control methods and completion of design; 3) Procurement, installation and operation of selected control measures; 4) Testing and acceptance or modification/redesign of controls.    All proposed control measures shall be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person. Thirty (30) day progress reports are required during the abatement period. (Plan - 30 days)    Step 3 - Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance. (Engineering Controls - 90 days)

Issued

Oct 30, 2017

Abate by

Apr 2, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1520

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 1910.1000(a) through (d):  The employer is failing to implement feasible administrative or engineering controls to protect employees from respiratory hazards including but not limited to limited to pneumoconiosis.  This was most recently documented on July 20, 2017 at 8123 Christensen Ln, Omaha, NE 68122.  The following monitored employee was overexposed to iron oxide fume in excess of the 8-hour Personal Exposure Limit (PEL):    Welder #1 was exposed to iron oxide fume at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 27.3745 milligrams per cubic meter, 2.7375 times the PEL of 10 milligrams per cubic meter of air. Personal air sampling was performed for 444 minutes on 07/20/2017 while the employee MIG welded mild steel inside the enclosed box of a McNeilus refuse collection truck.  Step 1 - Effective respiratory protection shall be provided and used by exposed employees as an interim protective measure until feasible engineering and/or administrative controls can be implemented or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee exposure to within permissible exposure limits. (PPE - 30 days)    Step 2 - Submit to the Area Director a written, detailed plan of abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measures to control employee exposure 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/administrative control option; 2) Selection of optimum control methods and completion of design; 3) Procurement, installation and operation of selected control measures; 4) Testing and acceptance or modification/redesign of controls.    All proposed control measures shall be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person. Thirty (30) day progress reports are required during the abatement period. (Plan - 30 days)    Step 3 - Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance. (Engineering Controls - 90 days)