OSHA Inspection: SPECIALTY ASSAYS INC.

Issued

Jan 19, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,956 · Current $1,921 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(a)(3): Exit route(s) were not kept free and unobstructed:    a- A 40" dia. circular fan was placed on the floor in front of the emergency exit door at the south side of the industrial building oat56 Old Camplain Road in Hillsborough NJ; blocking the entire width of the only egress route from the assay production room directly to the outside.  Employee(s) were exposed to fire hazard due to impeded emergency egress.     Condition(s) were noted on or about 8/2102017.

Issued

Jan 19, 2018

Penalty

Initial $4,434 · Current $2,882 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.157(g)(1): An educational program was not provided for all employees to familiarize them with the general principles of fire extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage fire fighting:    a) At 56 Old Camplain Rd in Hillsborough NJ, portable fire extinguisher(s) is provided next to the acetone still pots in the assay room, as required for such unit physical operation involving a flammable liquid by 1910.106(e)(5).  Initial and annual training was not provided to employee(s) on extinguisher use and hazards of incipient fire fighting.    Condition(s) were noted on or about 8/10/2017.

Issued

Jan 19, 2018

Penalty

Initial $4,435 · Current $2,882 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1): The employer did not assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE):    a) At 56 Old Camplain Rd in Hillsborough, the employer did not conduct and certify a workplace hazard assessment for selecting appropriate PPE.  Employee(s) work with chemicals posing corrosive contact hazards such as Hydrochloric and Formic Acids, as well as flammable acetone.    Condition(s) were noted on or about 8/10/2017.

Issued

Jan 19, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(f)(1): The employer did not provide training to each employee who is required by this section to use personal protective equipment:  a) At 56 Old Camplain Rd in Hillsborough, employee(s) work with chemicals posing corrosive contact hazards such as Hydrochloric and Formic Acids, as well as flammable acetone.  Training was not provided to employee(s) on the type and circumstances of personal protective equipment use.  Condition(s) were noted on or about 8/10/2017.

Issued

Jan 19, 2018

Abate by

Feb 23, 2018

Penalty

Initial $4,434 · Current $2,882 Reduced

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:    a) 56 Old Camplain Rd in Hillsborough NJ; Where voluntary use of half-face air-purifying respirator(s) with combination cartridges by employee(s) was permitted, necessary elements of a respirator compliance program were not documented and implemented such as medical approval of users and information & training on cleaning and storage to prevent chemical contamination.    Condition(s) were noted on or about 8/10/2017.

Issued

Jan 19, 2018

Abate by

Feb 23, 2018

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) 56 Old Camplain Rd in Hillsborough NJ; Where voluntary use of half-face air-purifying respirator(s) with combination cartridges by employee(s) was permitted, necessary elements of a respirator compliance program were not documented and implemented such as medical approval   Condition(s) were noted on or about 8/10/2017.

Issued

Jan 19, 2018

Penalty

Initial $3,696 · Current $2,402 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.151(c): Where employees were exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body were not provided within the work area for immediate emergency use:    a) An eyewash was not available for emergency flushing of the eyes within the assay production room of Specialty Assays located at 56 Old Camplain Road in Hillsborough NJ.  Corrosive chemicals such as 6.0N Hydrochloric Acid is dispensed and used by employee(s); exposing employee(s) to a chemical contact hazard in the event of splashed corrosive acid.     Condition(s) were noted on or about 8/10/2017.

Issued

Jan 19, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,956 · Current $1,921 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.307(c): Equipment, wiring methods, and installations of equipment in hazardous (classified) locations were not intrinsically safe, approved for the hazardous (classified) location, or safe for the hazardous (classified) location:    a) Within the assay room at 56 Old Camplain Road in Hillsborough NJ; equipment associated with acetone distillation / recovery was powered via household-type power strips and quad outlet receptacle(s), not approved for use in a hazardous (classified) location where still pots and collection jugs contained flammable acetone.    Condition(s) were noted on or about 8/10/2017.

Issued

Jan 19, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,956 · Current $1,923 Reduced

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) 56 Old Camplain Rd, Hillsborough NJ: Employees work with hazardous chemicals including hydrochloric and formic acids, sodium hydroxide and acetone in assay production as well as the R+D lab, where a chemical hazard communication plan was not developed; exposing employees to caustic, corrosive, and flammable chemical hazards.     Condition(s) were noted on or about 8/10/2017.

Issued

Jan 19, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:  a) 56 Old Camplain Rd, Hillsborough NJ: Employees work with hazardous chemicals including hydrochloric and formic acids, sodium hydroxide and acetone in assay production as well as the R+D lab, where chemical hazard training was not provided; exposing employees to caustic, corrosive, and flammable chemical hazards.   Condition(s) were noted on or about 8/10/2017.