OSHA Inspection: ALEX PROPERTIES, INC.

Issued

Jun 12, 2018

Abate by

Jul 30, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,217 · Current $1,300 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.)    Alex Properties, Inc. dba Alex Restoration and Masonry Repairs, 121 West 10th Street, Erie PA, various areas at the construction site, on or about May 4th, 2018 and times prior thereto:  Employees were required to wear filtering facepiece respirators (3M brand #8511 N95) during work tasks including, but not limited to, grinding and cutting operations of brick, mortar, and concrete masonry blocks onsite.  Employees were not provided with a medical evaluation prior to the required use of the 3M brand filtering facepiece respirators.

Issued

Jun 12, 2018

Abate by

Jul 30, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2): Employee(s) using tight-fitting facepiece respirators were not fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator: (Construction Reference 1926.103)      a.)    Alex Properties, Inc. dba Alex Restoration and Masonry Repairs, 121 West 10th Street, Erie PA, various areas at the construction site, on or about May 4th, 2018 and times prior thereto:  Employees were required to wear filtering facepiece respirators (3M brand #8511 N95) during work tasks including, but not limited to, grinding and cutting operations of brick, mortar, and concrete masonry blocks onsite.  Employees were not provided with a fit test prior to the required use of the 3M brand filtering face piece respirators.

Issued

Jun 12, 2018

Abate by

Aug 30, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(3): Training was not provided prior to requiring employees to use a respirator in the workplace:  (Construction Reference 1926.103)       a.)  Alex Properties, Inc. dba Alex Restoration and Masonry Repairs, 121 West 10th Street, Erie PA, various areas at the construction site, on or about May 4th, 2018 and times prior thereto:  Employees were required to wear filtering facepiece respirators (3M brand #8511 N95) during work tasks including, but not limited to, grinding and cutting operations of brick, mortar, and concrete masonry blocks onsite.  The company had not provided employees with respiratory protection training prior to the use of the filtering facepiece respirators.

Issued

Jun 12, 2018

Abate by

Aug 30, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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.) Alex Properties, Inc. dba Alex Restoration and Masonry Repairs, 121 West 10th Street, Erie PA, various areas at the construction site, on or about May 4th, 2018 and times prior thereto:  Employees were required to wear filtering facepiece respirators (3M brand #8511 N95) during work tasks including, but not limited to, grinding and cutting operations of brick, mortar, and concrete masonry blocks onsite.  The employers written respiratory protection program did not include worksite specific information including, but not limited to:       1.)  Identification of the current physician or other licensed health care professional that will conduct medical evaluations;   2.)  The specific type/style of respirators to be used at the worksite;   3.)  The specific respirator change out schedule for filtering facepiece respirators during use for protection against crystalline silica.

Issued

Jun 12, 2018

Abate by

Jul 9, 2018

Penalty

Initial $2,956 · Current $2,000 Reduced

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, unless the employer assesses and limits the exposure of the employee to respirable crystalline silica in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section.        a.)    Alex Properties, Inc. dba Alex Restoration and Masonry Repairs, 121 West 10th Street, Erie PA, on or about May 4th, 2018 and times prior thereto:  Employees utilized a Husqvarna brand (model K760) handheld power saw to perform cutting operations of brick, mortar, and concrete masonry blocks onsite. The employer did not ensure that the water delivery system was utilized during all cutting operations of material including, but not limited to, brick, mortar, and concrete masonry blocks.  Additionally, the employer did not assess employee exposure in that, the employer did not perform an exposure assessment per 29 CFR 1926.1153(d).       b.)    Alex Properties, Inc. dba Alex Restoration and Masonry Repairs, 121 West 10th Street, Erie PA, on or about May 4th, 2018 and times prior thereto:  Employees utilized Dewalt brand angle grinder (model #D28065; serial#117315) to perform cutting operations of brick, mortar, and concrete masonry blocks onsite.  The employer did not ensure that the grinder was attached with a shroud and attached dust collection system during cutting operations.  Additionally, the employer did not assess employee exposure in that, the employer did not perform an exposure assessment per 29 CFR 1926.1153(d).

Issued

Jun 12, 2018

Abate by

Jul 30, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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.)    Alex Properties, Inc. dba Alex Restoration and Masonry Repairs, 121 West 10th Street, Erie PA, on or about May 4th, 2018 and times prior thereto:  Employees utilized a Husqvarna brand (model K760) handheld power saw and a Dewalt brand angle grinder (model #D28065; serial#117315)  to perform cutting operations of brick, mortar, and concrete masonry blocks onsite. The employer did not perform an employee exposure assessment for respirable crystalline silica during cutting operations of brick, mortar, and concrete masonry blocks.

Issued

Jun 12, 2018

Abate by

Jul 9, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(4)(i): The medical questionnaire and examinations were not administered confidentially during the employee's normal working hours or at a time and place convenient to the employee: (Construction Reference 1926.103)    a.)  Alex Properties, Inc. dba Alex Restoration and Masonry Repairs, 121 West 10th Street, Erie PA, on or about May 18th, 2018 and times prior thereto:  The employer did not provide an employee with a confidential medical evaluation for respirator use, in that, the employer maintained a copy of the employees completed OSHA respirator medical evaluation questionnaire.