OSHA Inspection: TECH TUBE, INC.

Issued

Nov 17, 2017

Abate by

Feb 20, 2018

Penalty

Initial $6,926 · Current $3,463 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(b)(1): When employees were subjected to sound exceeding those listed in Table G-16, feasible administrative or engineering controls were not utilized:  a) Large Tube Cutoff Saw: An employee, Saw Operator, was exposed to continuous noise at 191.3% of the permissible exposure level of 90 dBA or an eight-hour time-weighted average of 94.6 dBA. This exposure is 1.9 times the permissible exposure level of 100% or an eight-hour time-weighted average of 90 dBA. This exposure was observed over a 447 minute sampling period on October 23, 2017. The facility did not institute feasible administrative or engineering controls to reduce noise levels, on or about October 23, 2017.  Feasible abatement methods include but are not limited to: 1. Installing sound absorbing material on the inside of the partial enclosure around the cutoff saw. 2. Enclosing the Leeson motor between the cutoff saw and the Donalson Torit bag house. 3. Evaluating different types and brands of cutoff wheels that have noise reducing features. 4. Rotating employees so that one employee does not operate the large tube cutoff saw for a full 8 hour shift. Evaluate the availability of other trained employees to operate the saw for half a shift.  ABATEMENT STEPS ARE AS FOLLOW:      STEP 1 - A written detailed plan of abatement shall be submitted to the Area Director outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measures to control employee exposures to noise as referenced in this citation. This plan shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the following actions which must be consistent with the dates required by this citation:    1.  Evaluation of engineering control options;    2.  Selection of optimum control method and completion of design;    3.  Procurement, installation and operation of selected control measures;    4.  Testing and acceptance or modification/redesign of controls.    Note: All proposed control measures shall be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person.  Ninety (90) day progress reports are required during the abatement period. (The 90 day requirement can be shortened or lengthened by the area director depending on the specific circumstances.)     STEP 2 - Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.

Issued

Nov 17, 2017

Abate by

Dec 7, 2017

Penalty

Initial $4,155 · Current $2,078 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8): The employer did not maintain in the workplace copies of the required safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical:  a) Facility wide: Employees conducting cold drawing operations used various chemicals such as but not limited to Mineral Spirits, Lube JH9402, and Tubol 467 and copies of the most current safety data sheets available for each hazardous chemical in the facility were not available, on or about October 12, 2017.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date.  The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.