OSHA Inspection: U.S. POSTAL SERVICE

Issued

Jun 12, 2018

Abate by

Jun 29, 2018

Penalty

Initial $6,911 · Current $4,838 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.107(b)(9): A clear space of not less than 3 feet on all sides was not kept free from storage or combustible construction:    (a) On or about 12/15/2017 at the U.S. Postal Service's Vehicle Maintenance Facility at 1050 Forbell Ave, employees painting postal vehicles were exposed to fire hazards because the employer had not ensured that a 3' space around the walls was kept clear; flammable storage cabinets and other materials lined the wall inside the spray booth.

Issued

Jun 12, 2018

Abate by

Jun 29, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.107(e)(2): Bulk storage of portable containers of flammable or combustible liquids were not in a separate, constructed building detached from other important buildings or cut off in a standard manner:  (a) On or about 12/15/2017 at the U.S. Postal Service's Vehicle Maintenance Facility at 1050 Forbell Ave, employees painting postal vehicles were exposed to fire hazards because the employer had not ensured that stored flammables including but not limited to flammable paint mixtures for spray application were located inside the spray booth.

Issued

Jun 12, 2018

Abate by

Jun 29, 2018

Penalty

Initial $6,911 · Current $4,838 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(3)(iii)(B)(2): The employer did not implement a change schedule for respirators not equipped with an End of Service Life Indicator that would ensure cartridges were changed before the end of their service life:    (a) On or about 12/15/2017 at the U.S. Postal Service's Vehicle Maintenance Facility at 1050 Forbell Ave, employees painting postal vehicles were exposed to respiratory hazards because the employer had not established a filter change schedule where employees used cartridges for protection from organic vapors including but not limited to those associated with the spray application of flammable paint mixtures for body work.

Issued

Jun 12, 2018

Abate by

Jun 29, 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) On or about 12/15/2017 at the U.S. Postal Service's Vehicle Maintenance Facility at 1050 Forbell Ave, employees painting postal vehicles were exposed to respiratory hazards because the employer had not ensured that employees were medically evaluated to wear respirators. Employees wore elastomeric, half-face 3M respirators.

Issued

Jun 12, 2018

Abate by

Jun 29, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2): Employee(s) using a tight-fitting facepiece respirator were not annually fit tested:  (a) On or about 12/15/2017 at the U.S. Postal Service's Vehicle Maintenance Facility at 1050 Forbell Ave, employees painting postal vehicles were exposed to respiratory hazards because the employer had not ensured that employees were annually fit tested when required to wear tight-fitting respirators. Employees wore elastomeric, half-face 3M respirators.

Issued

Jun 12, 2018

Abate by

Jun 29, 2018

Penalty

Initial $6,911 · Current $4,838 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.253(b)(4)(iii): Oxygen cylinders in storage were not separated from fuel-gas cylinders or combustible materials (especially oil or grease), a minimum distance of 20 feet (6.1 m) or by a noncombustible barrier at least 5 feet (1.5 m) high having a fire-resistance rating of at least 5 feet (1.5 m) high having a fire-resistance rating of at least one-half hour:    (a) On or about 12/15/2017 at the U.S. Postal Service's Vehicle Maintenance Facility at 1050 Forbell Ave, employees doing body work on postal vehicles were exposed to fire hazards because the employer had not ensured that oxygen cylinders were stored separately from acetylene cylinders.

Issued

Jun 12, 2018

Abate by

Jun 29, 2018

Penalty

Initial $71,137 · Current $9,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i): Procedures were not developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees were engaged in activities covered by this section:    (a) On or about 12/15/2017 at the U.S. Postal Service's Vehicle Maintenance Facility at 1050 Forbell Ave, employees were exposed to physical hazards associated with the unexpected startup of vehicles during maintenance. The employer had not established and documented written procedures for energy control for this work.      The U.S. Postal Service was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.147(c)(4)(i), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 999094, citation number 1, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on 4/28/2015, with respect to a workplace located at 109 Ludy Street, Hicksville, NY  11801.