OSHA Inspection: KENTUCKY NATURAL RESOURCES CORPORATION

Issued

2018-03-02 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-04-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $5100.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(a): Protective equipment, including personal protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices, and protective shields and barriers, shall be provided, used, and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever it is necessary by reason of hazards of processes or environment, chemical hazards, radiological hazards, or mechanical irritants encountered in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation or physical contact.    a) At the work site located at 43840 State Route 7, Hannibal, Ohio, employees were exposed to inhalation and contact hazards when working in silos to remove alumina dust. Hazards included, but were not limited to, exposure to air borne respirable dust and exposure to abrasive dust to the eyes and skin resulting in symptoms that included red irritated eyes, nose bleeds, and the coughing up of blood. The employer did not provide personal protective equipment.

Issued

2018-03-02 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-04-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(2): The employer shall verify that the required workplace hazard assessment has been performed through a written certification that identifies the workplace evaluated; the person certifying that the evaluation has been performed; the date(s) of the hazard assessment; and, which identifies the document as a certification of hazard assessment.  a. At the work site located at 43840 State Route 7 in Hannibal, Ohio, employees were exposed to contact and inhalation hazards when performing cleaning operations inside alumina storage silos. Hazards included, but were not limited to the inhalation of respirable dust and the exposure of abrasive dust to the eyes and skin. The employer had not performed and certified a workplace hazard assessment.

Issued

2018-03-02 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-03-08 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $5100.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1): General. The employer shall provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee is fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace. The employer may discontinue an employee's medical evaluations when the employee is no longer required to use a respirator.    a. At the work site the employer did not ensure that a medical evaluation was done to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee was required to use the respirator in the workplace. This violation occurred on or about December 8, 2017 when employees wore 3M 6000/7000 half-face tight fitting respirators when working inside silos.

Issued

2018-03-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2): The employer shall ensure that an employee using a tight-fitting face piece respirator is fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator, whenever a different respirator face piece (size, style, model or make) is used, and at least annually thereafter.      a. At the work site the employer did not ensure that employees using tight-fitting face piece respirators were fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator. This violation occurred on or about December 8, 2017 when employees wore half-face, tight fitting 3M respirators when cleaning the inside of silos.

Issued

2018-03-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(h)(1): Cleaning and disinfecting. The employer shall provide each respirator user with a respirator that is clean, sanitary, and in good working order. The employer shall ensure that respirators are cleaned and disinfected using the procedures in Appendix B-2 of this section, or procedures recommended by the respirator manufacturer, provided that such procedures are of equivalent effectiveness. The respirators shall be cleaned and disinfected at the following intervals:    a. At the work site the employer did not ensure that respirators provided to employees were clean and disinfected. Employees working in the silos during the night shift were not issued respirators and wore disposable respirators and hard rubber respirators that they found in the company's work trucks that had been previously used exposing the employees to infection and inhalation hazards.

Issued

2018-03-02 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-04-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k): The employer is required to provide effective training to employees who are required to use respirators. The training must be comprehensive, understandable, and recur annually, and more often if necessary. This paragraph also requires the employer to provide the basic information on respirators in Appendix D of this section to employees who wear respirators when not required by this section or by the employer to do so.    a. At the work site the employer did not ensure that employees issued respirators had received the required respirator training before the employee was required to use the respirator in the workplace. This violation occurred on or about December 8, 2017 when employees wore 3M 6000/7000 half-face tight fitting respirators when working inside silos.

Issued

2018-03-02 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-04-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $5100.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

The employer shall develop and implement the means. procedures, and practices necessary for safe permit space entry operations including:     29 CFR 1910.146(d)(3)(i): Specifying acceptable entry conditions;    a. At the worksite located at 43840 State Route 7 in Hannibal, Ohio, employees were exposed to injury from the hazards associated with confined space entry.  The employer had not specified acceptable and safe entry conditions for employees entering Alumina dust storage silos, permit-required confined spaces.

Issued

2018-03-02 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-04-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(d)(3)(vi): Under the permit-required confined space program required by 29CFR 1910.146(c)(4), the employer did not develop and implement the means, procedures, and practices necessary for safe permit space entry operations, including, but not limited to: verifying that conditions in the permit space are acceptable for entry throughout the duration of an authorized entry.  a. At the worksite located at 43840 State Route 7 in Hannibal, Ohio, employees were exposed to injury from the hazards associated with confined space entry.  The employer did not verify that entry conditions inside the Alumina dust storage silos were safe and acceptable for entry and throughout the duration of entry.

Issued

2018-03-02 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-04-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(d)(6): Under the permit-required confined space program required by 29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4), the employer did not provide at least one attendant outside the permit space into which entry is authorized for the duration of entry operations;     a. At the worksite located at 43840 State Route 7 in Hannibal, Ohio, employees were exposed to injury from the hazards associated with confined space entry.  An attendant was not provided outside the Aumina dust storage silos while employees were inside the permit-required confined spaces throughout the duration of entry.

Issued

2018-03-02 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-04-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(d)(9): Under the permit-required confined space program required by 29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4), the employer did not develop and implement procedures for summoning rescue and emergency services, for rescuing entrants from permit spaces, for providing necessary emergency services to rescued employees, and for preventing unauthorized personnel from attempting a rescue;    a. Employees were exposed to injury from the hazards associated with confined space entry. At the worksite located at 43840 State Route 7 in Hannibal, Ohio, the employer did not develop and implement procedures for summoning rescue and emergency services for employees performing operations inside the Aumina dust storage silos, permit-required confined spaces.

Issued

2018-03-02 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-04-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(e)(1): Before entry is authorized, the employer shall document the completion of measures required by paragraph (d)(3) of this section by preparing an entry permit.     a. Employees were exposed to injury from the hazards associated with confined space entry. At the worksite located at 43840 State Route 7 in Hannibal, Ohio, the employer had not completed entry permits for employees performing operations inside the Alumina dust storage silos, permit-required confined spaces.

Issued

2018-03-02 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-04-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(g)(1): The employer shall provide training so that all employees whose work is regulated by this section acquire the understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary for the safe performance of the duties assigned under this section.    a. Employees were exposed to injury from the hazards associated with confined space entry. At the worksite located at 43840 State Route 7, Hannibal, Ohio, authorized entrants, attendants, and entry supervisors had not received the training required to ensure that the company's permit-required confined space program was implemented prior to employees entering permit-required confined spaces.

Issued

2018-03-02 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-06-05 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $5100.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2): Other substances -- 8-hour Time Weighted Averages. An employee's exposure to any substance in Table Z-1, the exposure limit of which is not preceded by a "C", shall not exceed the 8-hour Time Weighted Average given for that substance any 8-hour work shift of a 40-hour work week.    a. On December 15, 2017, an employee performing the required duties of cleaning the inside of a silo containing alumina dust was exposed to Respirable Nuisance Dust at an 8-hour time weighted average of 28.48 milligrams respirable dust per cubic meter air. This exposure is approximately 5.7 times the calculated permissible exposure limit of 5.0 milligrams respirable dust per cubic meter air. Alumina dust is irritating to the mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract and can cause lung injury.     b. On December 15, 2017, an employee performing the required duties of cleaning the inside of a silo containing alumina dust was exposed to Respirable Nuisance Dust at an 8-hour time weighted average of 17.74 milligrams respirable dust per cubic meter air. This exposure is approximately 3.5 times the calculated permissible exposure limit of 5.0 milligrams respirable dust per cubic meter air. Alumina dust is irritating to the mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract and can cause lung injury.     c. On December 15, 2017, an employee performing the required duties of cleaning the inside of a silo containing alumina dust was exposed to Respirable Nuisance Dust at an 8-hour time weighted average of 11.53 milligrams respirable dust per cubic meter air. This exposure is approximately 2.3 times the calculated permissible exposure limit of 5.0 milligrams respirable dust per cubic meter air. Alumina dust is irritating to the mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract and can cause lung injury.     d. On December 15, 2017, an employee performing the required duties of cleaning the inside of a silo containing alumina dust was exposed to Respirable Nuisance Dust at an 8-hour time weighted average of 8.43 milligrams respirable dust per cubic meter air. This exposure is approximately 1.7 times the calculated permissible exposure limit of 5.0 milligrams respirable dust per cubic meter air. Alumina dust is irritating to the mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract and can cause lung injury.

Issued

2018-03-02 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-06-05 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(e): To achieve compliance with paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section, administrative or engineering controls must first be determined and implemented whenever feasible. When such controls are not feasible to achieve full compliance, protective equipment or any other protective measures shall be used to keep the exposure of employees to air contaminants within the limits prescribed in this section. Any equipment and/or technical measures used for this purpose must be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person. Whenever respirators are used, their use shall comply with 1910.134.    a. On December 15, 2017, employees performing the required duties of cleaning the inside of silos containing alumina dust were over-exposed to Respirable Nuisance Dust. These exposures ranged between approximately 1.7 to 5.7 times the calculated permissible exposure limit of 5.0 milligrams respirable dust per cubic meter air. Alumina dust is irritating to the mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract and can cause lung injury.     ABATEMENT:     Step 1: 30 Days From Issuance 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. The use of respiratory protection shall meet the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.134, Respiratory Protection.     Step 2: 60 Days From Issuance  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 the minimum, target dates for the following actions which must be consistent with the abatement dates required by this citation:     1. Evaluation of engineering/administrative control options; 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. Step 3: April 19, 2018 Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.  Feasible administrative and/or engineering controls could include, but the employer is not bound by or limited to, the following:  1. Equip processes and machinery with local exhaust ventilation. Forced air ventilation to provide fresh air changes and reduce the dust concentration inside the silo. 2. Rotate the employees in and out of the hazardous job duties to limit exposures below the PEL for an 8-hour TWA.

Issued

2018-03-02 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-04-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

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.    a. At the work site, employees were exposed to alumina dust and had not been given information and training on the physical and health hazards of the dust or on the measures to take to protect themselves from the chemical hazards.