OSHA Inspection: POWER CONCRETE CO., INC.

Issued

2018-06-14 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-07-13 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $6826.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 90009010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1): A written respiratory protection program that included the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix) with worksite specific procedures was not established and implemented for required respirator use: (Construction Reference 1926.103)    a) Power Concrete Co., Inc./Orphan bridge deck on Port Reading Avenue between ProLogis Way and West Avenue in Woodbridge Township, NJ- The employer failed to ensure that employees engaged in bridge repairs and using jackhammers and handheld power saws to cut concrete were protected from respirable crystalline silica by developing and implementing respiratory protection program. A written respiratory protection program was not developed and implemented with worksite-specific provisions covering respirator selection, use, care and maintenance, as well as medical clearance and training of users.       Condition observed on or about December 15, 2017.

Issued

2018-06-14 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-07-13 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 90009010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1153(e)(2): Where respirator use is required by this section, the employer did not institute a respiratory protection program in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134:  a) Power Concrete Co., Inc./Orphan bridge deck on Port Reading Avenue between ProLogis Way and West Avenue in Woodbridge Township, NJ- The employer did not develop and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific provisions covering respirator selection, care and maintenance, as well as medical clearance and training of users, for those employees who were required to wear Air-purifying respirators. Employee(s) were required to wear tight-fitting air-purifying respirators (APR) with filters for protection from the silica dust when using jackhammers and handheld power saws to cut concrete.    Condition observed on or about December 15, 2017.

Issued

2018-06-14 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 90009010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2): Employee(s) using a tight-fitting facepiece respirators were not annually fit tested: (Construction Reference 1926.103)  a) Power Concrete Co., Inc./Orphan bridge deck on Port Reading Avenue between ProLogis Way and West Avenue in Woodbridge Township, NJ- The employer did not ensure that employees required to wear 3M tight fitting respirators to protect them from respirable crystalline silica hazards, were fit tested annually. Employees used jackhammers and handheld power saws to cut concrete, which created clouds of silica dust exposing employees to 168 micrograms per cubic meter as an 8-hour TWA, which is three times the PEL of 50 micrograms per cubic meter.  Condition observed on or about December 15, 2017.

Issued

2018-06-14 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $6826.00 Reduced

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: (Construction Reference 1926.103)    a) Power Concrete Co., Inc./Orphan bridge deck on Port Reading Avenue between ProLogis Way and West Avenue in Woodbridge Township, NJ- Employees who were engaged in bridge repairs and used jackhammers and handheld power saws to cut concrete were required to wear 3M, tight fitting, air purifying respirators equipped with cartridges (P100). Employees were not medically evaluated to determine their ability to safely use respiratory protection.    Condition observed on or about December 15, 2017.

Issued

2018-06-14 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-08-03 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 90009010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1153(h)(2): The employer did not make available an initial (baseline) medical examination within 30 days after initial assignment when the employee had not received a medical exam that meets the requirements of this section within the last three years:  a) Power Concrete Co., Inc./Orphan bridge deck on Port Reading Avenue between ProLogis Way and West Avenue in Woodbridge Township, NJ- The employer did not make available a baseline medical examination within 30 days of  employees initial assignment for those employees exposed to respirable silica. Employees were engaged in bridge repairs and used jack hammers and handheld power saws to cut concrete.   Condition observed on or about December 15, 2017.

Issued

2018-06-14 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-07-13 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $6826.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 90009010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(g)(1)(i)(A): Respirators with tight-fitting facepieces were worn by employees who had facial hair that came between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interfered with valve function: (Construction Reference 1926.103)     a) Power Concrete Co., Inc./Orphan bridge deck on Port Reading Avenue between ProLogis Way and West Avenue in Woodbridge Township, NJ- The employer failed to ensure that employees engaged in bridge repairs and using jackhammers and handheld power saws to cut concrete were protected from respirable crystalline silica. Employee(s) wore 3M, tight-fitting air-purifying respirators (APR) with filters for protection from the silica dust, but had a full beard which interfered with the face-to-facepiece seal. OSHA sampling results show cutting and hammering operations which created clouds of silica dust exposed employees to 168 micrograms per cubic meter as the 8 hour TWA, which is three times the PEL of 50 micrograms per cubic meter.      Condition observed on or about December 15, 2017.

Issued

2018-06-14 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-07-13 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $6826.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 90009010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(h)(1): Respirators were not cleaned and disinfected using the procedures in Appendix B-2 of 29 CFR 1910.134 or equivalent procedures recommended by the respirator manufacturer:  (Construction Reference 1926.103)    a) Power Concrete Co., Inc./Orphan bridge deck on Port Reading Avenue between ProLogis Way and West Avenue in Woodbridge Township, NJ- The employer failed to ensure that employees engaged in bridge repairs and using jackhammers and handheld power saws to cut concrete were protected from respirable crystalline silica. The respirators employee(s) wore such as the 3M tight-fitting, air-purifying respirators (APR), with filters for protection from silica dust were observed dirty inside. Employees did not wash and clean their respirators.      Condition observed on or about December 15, 2017.

Issued

2018-06-14 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-07-13 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 90009010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(1): The employer did not provide effective training that covered the required elements in 1910.134(k)(1)(i) through 1910.134(k)(1)(vii):  a) Power Concrete Co., Inc./Orphan bridge deck on Port Reading Avenue between ProLogis Way and West Avenue in Woodbridge Township, NJ- The employer failed to ensure that employees engaged in bridge repairs and required to wear 3M tight-fitting, air-purifying respirators (APR), with filters for protection from silica dust were provided with the required training, which included provisions such as but not limited to the use, care and maintenance of the respirators. Workers were observed wearing their respiratory protection on their foreheads or below their noses while using jackhammers and handheld saws.    Condition observed on or about December 15, 2017.

Issued

2018-06-14 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-07-13 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $6826.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8110

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.52(b): Employees were subjected to sound levels exceeding those listed in table D-2 of 29 CFR 1926.52 and feasible administrative or engineering controls were not utilized to reduce sound levels:    a) Power Concrete Co., Inc./Orphan bridge deck on Port Reading Avenue between ProLogis Way and West Avenue in Woodbridge Township, NJ- The employer failed to utilize administrative and engineering controls for employees exposed to sound levels which exceeded the values shown in Table D-2. Employees engaged in bridge repairs and using jackhammers and handheld power saws to cut concrete were exposed to sound levels of 99.1 dBA and 101.7 dBA which exceeded the allowable Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 97dBA for 3 hours.      Condition observed on or about December 15, 2017.

Issued

2018-06-14 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-07-13 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 8110

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.52(d)(1): Sound levels exceeded the values in Table D-2 of this section and a continuing, effective hearing conservation program was not administered:  a) Power Concrete Co., Inc./Orphan bridge deck on Port Reading Avenue between ProLogis Way and West Avenue in Woodbridge Township, NJ- The employer failed to ensure that for employees exposed to sound levels which exceeded the values shown in Table D-2 a continuing, effective hearing conservation program was implemented and administered. Employees engaged in bridge repairs and using jackhammers and handheld power saws to cut concrete were exposed to sound levels of 99.1 dBA and 101.7dBA which exceeded the allowable Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 97dBA for 3 hours.    Condition observed on or about December 15, 2017.

Issued

2018-06-14 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-07-13 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7760.00 · Current $5859.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.302(b)(1): Pneumatic power tool(s) were not secured to the hose or whip by some positive means to prevent the tool from becoming accidentally disconnected:    a) Power Concrete Co., Inc./Orphan bridge deck on Port Reading Avenue between ProLogis Way and West Avenue in Woodbridge Township, NJ- The employer did not ensure that pneumatic power tool(s) such as but not limited to jackhammers were secured to the hoses by some positive means to prevent the tool from becoming accidentally disconnected. Employees were engaged in bridge repairs and used jackhammers to break the concrete. Hoses connected from jackhammers to the compressor were missing pins.    Condition observed on or about December 15, 2017.

Issued

2018-06-14 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-07-13 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $6826.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 90009010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1153(c)(1): For each employee engaged in a task identified on Table 1, the employer did not fully and properly implement the engineering controls, work practices, and respiratory protection specified for the task on Table 1, and did not assess and limit the exposure of the employees to respirable crystalline silica in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section.    a) Power Concrete Co., Inc./Orphan bridge deck on Port Reading Avenue between ProLogis Way and West Avenue in Woodbridge Township, NJ- The employer failed to fully and properly implement the engineering controls, work practices, and respiratory protection for employees exposed to respirable crystalline silica during the Orphan bridge maintenance activities. Employees used jackhammers and handheld power saws to cut concrete. The exposure control methods implemented by employer were not effective as limited wetting was used during cutting and hammering operations which created clouds of silica dust and exposed employees to 168 micrograms per cubic meter, which is three times the PEL of 50 micrograms per cubic meter.    Condition observed on or about December 15, 2017.

Issued

2018-06-14 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-07-13 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 90009010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1153(d)(1): The employer did not ensure that employees were not exposed to an airborne concentration of respirable crystalline silica in excess of 50 micrograms/m3, calculated as an 8-hour TWA:  a) Power Concrete Co., Inc./Orphan bridge deck on Port Reading Avenue between ProLogis Way and West Avenue in Woodbridge Township, NJ- The employer failed to ensure that no employee is exposed to an airborne concentration of respirable crystalline silica in excess of Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) which is 50 micrograms/m3. Employees engaged in bridge repairs and using jackhammers and handheld power saws to cut concrete structure were exposed to 168 micrograms per cubic meter as the 8-hour TWA, which is three times the PEL.  Condition observed on or about December 15, 2017.

Issued

2018-06-14 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-07-13 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $6826.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 90009010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1153(d)(2)(i): The employer did not assess the exposure of each employee who was or may reasonably be expected to be exposed to respirable crystalline silica at or above the action level in accordance with either the performance option in paragraph (d)(2)(ii) or the scheduled monitoring option in paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this section:    a) Power Concrete Co., Inc./Orphan bridge deck on Port Reading Avenue between ProLogis Way and West Avenue in Woodbridge Township, NJ- The employer failed to assess exposure to respirable crystalline silica for employees engaged in bridge repairs and using jack hammers and handheld power saws to cut concrete. Exposure control methods implemented by employer were not effective. Limited wetting was used during cutting and hammering operations which created clouds of silica dust and exposing employees to 168 micrograms per cubic meter as the 8 hour TWA, which is three times the PEL of 50 micrograms per cubic meter.    Condition observed on or about December 15, 2017.

Issued

2018-06-14 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-07-13 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9054.00 · Current $6826.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 90009010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1153(g)(1): The employer did not establish and implement a written exposure control plan:    a) Power Concrete Co., Inc./Orphan bridge deck on Port Reading Avenue between ProLogis Way and West Avenue in Woodbridge Township, NJ- The employer did not implement a written exposure control plan to control employees exposures to crystalline silica through the use of engineering controls as well as work practice controls. Employees were engaged in bridge repairs and used jack hammers and handheld power saws to cut concrete. Exposure control methods implemented by employer were not effective. Limited wetting was used during cutting and hammering operations which created clouds of silica dust.    Condition observed on or about December 15, 2017.