OSHA Inspection: POLYSTAR INC.

Issued

2018-07-19 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-07-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7114.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9010S103

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.94(a)(7): Abrasive blasting dust(s) were permitted to accumulate on the floor or on ledges outside of the abrasive blasting enclosure(s):    On or about January 25, 2018, the employer had blasting dust escaping from openings in the booth which permitted it to accumulate on the floor and ledges below.

Issued

2018-07-19 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9959.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(d)(1): When information indicated that any employee's exposure equaled or exceed the 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels, the employer did not develop and implement a monitoring program:    The employer did not develop and implement a monitoring program for employees exposed to 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) sound levels of 85 dBA or greater (50%).     a) On February 1, 2018, the Fiberglass Fabricator in the Fabrication Shop was exposed to continuous noise levels at 73.9% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour, time-weighted average sound level of 85 dbA or equivalently, a dose of 50 percent), during the 457 minute sampling period.   Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 23 minutes not sampled. The employer had not developed or implemented a monitoring program to assess employee noise level exposures in the area.    b) On February 1, 2018, the Fiberglass Fabricator in the Fabrication Shop was exposed to continuous noise levels at 85.6% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour, time-weighted average sound level of 85 dbA or equivalently, a dose of 50 percent), during the 450 minute sampling period.   Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 30 minutes not sampled. The employer had not developed or implemented a monitoring program to assess employee noise level exposures in the area.

Issued

2018-07-19 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-07-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $5691.00 · Current $5691.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.106(e)(2)(ii)(b)(2): The quantity of Category 2, 3 or 4 flammable liquid located outside of an inside storage room or storage cabinet in a building or in any one fire area of a building exceeded 120 gallons:    On or about January 25, 2018, the employer had 490 gallons of Category 2, 3 and/or 4 flammable liquid stored throughout the fiberglass department.

Issued

2018-07-19 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-07-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9959.00 · Current $5000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(vi): The written program did not contain procedures to ensure adequate air quality, quantity, and flow of breathing air for atmosphere-supplying respirators:    On or about January 25, 2018, the employer did not have procedures in the written respiratory protection program that ensured the supplied air respirator hooked to an air compressor was supplying adequate grade D air.

Issued

2018-07-19 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-07-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(i)(1)(ii): Compressed breathing air shall meet at least the requirements for Grade D breathing air described in ANSI/Compressed Gas Association Commodity Specification for Air, G-7.1-1989, to include:   (A): Oxygen content (v/v) of 19.5-23.5%;  (B): Hydrocarbon (condensed) content of 5 milligrams per cubic meter of air or less;  (C): Carbon monoxide (CO) content of 10 ppm or less;  (D): Carbon dioxide content of 1,000 ppm or less; and  (E): Lack of noticeable odor.  On or about January 25, 2018, the employer did not ensure the compressed breathing air supplied to a supply air respirator met the requirements set forth in the ANSI Specifications used by the shot blasters.

Issued

2018-07-19 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(i)(5)(iv): The employer did not ensure that the person authorized to perform the necessary sorbent bed and filter changes filled out a tag indicating by the signature and date that maintenance changes were performed:  On or about January 25, 2018, the employer did not complete the maintenance tag on the sorbent bed with the date filter changes were performed.

Issued

2018-07-19 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9959.00 · Current $5000.00 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:    On or about January 25, 2018, employees were required to wear a supplied air respirator Nova 3 respiratory protection while blasting and had not first received a medical evaluation.

Issued

2018-07-19 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-07-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9959.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(g)(2)(ii)(B): The employer did not ensure that employees left the respirator use area when employees detected vapor or gas breakthrough, changes in breathing resistance, or leakage of the facepiece:    Between January 25, 2018 and February 1, 2018, the employer did not ensure employees using a supplied air respirator in the blasting booth left the area when leakage of the facepiece occurred to include insufficient air flow through the filters causing dust to build up inside the respirator.

Issued

2018-07-19 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-07-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4268.00 · Current $4268.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.138(a): Appropriate hand protection was not used when employee's hands were exposed to hazards such as those from skin absorption of harmful substances; severe cuts or lacerations; severe abrasions; punctures; chemical burns; thermal burns; and harmful temperature extremes.           On or about February 1, 2018, the employer did not enforce the use of chemical resistant gloves. Employees were observed using acetone to remove dried resin from the skin.

Issued

2018-07-19 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-12-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9959.00 · Current $5000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(c): Employee(s) were exposed to total dust in excess of the 8-hour time weighted average limits of 15.0 mg/m3 listed in Table Z-3;    On or about February 22, 2018, the blaster working in the Blasting Booth with Indian Garnet was exposed to total dust at a time-weighted average (TWA) of 332.147 mg/m3 which is approximately 22.143 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 15.0 mg/m3, for 425 minutes. Zero exposure is assumed for the time not sampled.

Issued

2018-07-19 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-12-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(e): Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not determined and implemented for the employees including the abrasive blaster to achieve compliance with the limits prescribed in 29 CFR 1910.1000(a) through (d):  For the employees including, but not limited to , those as described in Citation 1, Item 9(a).  On or about February 22, 2018, the blaster working in the Blasting Booth with Indian Garnet was exposed to total dust at a time-weighted average (TWA) of 332.147 mg/m3 which is approximately 22.143 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 15.0 mg/m3, for 425 minutes. Zero exposure is assumed for the time not sampled.   General methods of control applicable in these circumstances include, but are not limited to, the following:  1) Installing a downdraft exhaust system at the manual abrasive blasting booth that averages 80 fpm over the entire floor.  2) Installing a cross ventilation system at the manual abrasive blasting booth that averages 100 fpm velocity over the vertical cross section of the room.  3) Administratively rotate employees to insure that exposures are below the allowable exposure limits for all air contaminants involved.  4) Provide adequate respiratory protection to prohibit abrasive blasters from inhaling the dust.  STEP 1: 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 the respirable dust permissible exposure limits. Abatement period by (5 working days)  STEP 2: Submit to the area director a written, detail plan of abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measure to control employee exposure to hazardous substances as referenced in this citation. This plan shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the following action which must be consistent with the abatement dates required by this citation. Abatement period by (15 working days)  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; and  4) Testing and acceptance or modification/redesign of controls.  STEP 3: Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance. Abatement period by (30 working days)

Issued

2018-07-19 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-07-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9959.00 · Current $8186.00 Reduced

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:    On or about January 25, 2018, the employer did not provide effective information and training to employees, to include but not limited too hazards associated with working around silica-containing material.

Issued

2018-07-19 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $71135.00 · Current $12956.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(1): The employer did not establish and maintain an audiometric testing program as provided by 29 CFR 1910.95(g) by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels:    a) On February 1, 2018, the Fiberglass Fabricator in the Fabrication Shop was exposed to continuous noise levels at 73.9% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour, time-weighted average sound level of 85 dbA or equivalently, a dose of 50 percent), during the 457 minute sampling period.   Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 23 minutes not sampled. The employee has not received an audiometric test.     b) On February 1, 2018, the Welder in the Steel Shop was exposed to continuous noise levels at 82.5% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour, time-weighted average sound level of 85 dbA or equivalently, a dose of 50 percent), during the 457 minute sampling period.   Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 23 minutes not sampled. The employee has not received an audiometric test.     c) On February 1, 2018, the Welder in the Steel Shop was exposed to continuous noise levels at 71.7% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour, time-weighted average sound level of 85 dbA or equivalently, a dose of 50 percent), during the 466 minute sampling period.   Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 14 minutes not sampled. The employee has not received an audiometric test.     d) On February 1, 2018, the Fiberglass Fabricator in the Fabrication Shop was exposed to continuous noise levels at 85.6% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour, time-weighted average sound level of 85 dbA or equivalently, a dose of 50 percent), during the 450 minute sampling period.   Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 30 minutes not sampled. The employee has not received an audiometric test.