OSHA Inspection: POFI CONSTRUCTION CORP.

Issued

May 16, 2018

Penalty

Initial $3,049 · Current $3,049

Hazardous substances 9000

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/or  respiratory protection specified for the task on Table 1, unless the employer assesses and limits the exposure of the employee to respirable crystalline silica in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section:  Worksite, 8200 Boulevard East, North Bergen, NJ  a) A subcontractor employee performing masonry demolition of concrete with a rotary hammer drill was exposed to crystalline silica at 126.14 ug/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter) as an 8 hour time weighted average (TWA) which was 2.52 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3.  The worker was sampled for 350 minutes with zero exposure assumed for the 130 minutes that were not sampled.  Engineering controls were not implemented specific for the task listed on Table 1 to include the use of commercially available shroud or cowling with a dust collection system.    Violation occurred on or about  3-15-18

Issued

May 16, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9010

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:  Worksite, 223 Mallory Ave, Jersey City, NJ  a) A subcontractor employee performing masonry demolition of concrete with a rotary hammer drill was exposed to crystalline silica at 126.14 ug/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter) as an 8 hour time weighted average (TWA) which was 2.52 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3.  The worker was sampled for 350 minutes with zero exposure assumed for the 130 minutes that were not sampled.  An exposure assessment was not performed for each employee with the performance option or scheduled monitoring option required in the standard, nor was objective data presented during the inspection.    b)  A subcontractor employee performing masonry demolition using an abrasive grinder to scarify surfaces was exposed to crystalline silica at 96.49 ug/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter) as an 8 hour time weighted average (TWA) which was 1.93 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3.  The worker was sampled for 315 minutes with zero exposure assumed for the 165 minutes that were not sampled.  An exposure assessment was not performed for each employee with the performance option or scheduled monitoring option required in the standard, nor was objective data presented during the inspection.    Violation occurred on or about  3-15-18