OSHA Inspection: U.S. BATTERY MFG. AUGUSTA, INC.

Issued

2019-03-05 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-03-29 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $8856.00 · Current $5756.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(f)(1): Gear(s) were not guarded by a complete enclosure or by one of the methods specified in 29 CFR 1910.219(f)(1)(ii) and (f)(1)(iii):  a) U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - In the Pasting Department, in the hoper area of line #2, the guard for the chain and sprocket on the outside area, the bottom part of the equipment, was missing on or about 10/16/18.  No abatement certification or documentation is required for this item.     b) U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - In the Pasting Department, in the hoper area of line #2, the guard for the chain and sprocket on the outside area, was missing on or about 10/16/18.  No abatement certification or documentation is required for this item.    c) U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - In the Pasting Department, in the hoper area of line #2, the conveyor chain and sprocket at the lower portion of the equipment was not properly guarded. The exposed area was less than two feet from the floor, on or about 10/16/18.  In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(c), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET).

Issued

2019-03-05 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-04-08 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $8856.00 · Current $5756.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0260

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1018(n)(2)(ii)(A): For employees exposed above the action level for at least 30 days per year the medical exam did not include a standard posterior-anterior chest x-ray:  U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - An employee burning on burn box #5 was exposed to inorganic arsenic levels of 6.2 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), 1.2 times the action level (AL) of 5 ug/m3. The exposure was derived from a sample taken over 452 minutes. Zero exposure was assumed for the 28 minutes not sampled. The medical evaluation did not include a standard posterior-anterior x-ray, on or about 10/30/18.

Issued

2019-03-05 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-04-08 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $8856.00 · Current $5756.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0260

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1018(o)(1)(i): A training program was not instituted for each employee who is subject to inorganic arsenic exposure above the action level, without regard to respirator use, or for whom there is a possibility of skin or eye irritation from inorganic arsenic:  U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - An employee burning on burn box #5 was exposed to inorganic arsenic levels of 6.2 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), 1.2 times the action level (AL) of 5 ug/m3. A training program for inorganic program was not instituted, on or about 10/30/18.

Issued

2019-03-05 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-04-19 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $8856.00 · Current $5756.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(d)(6)(iii): Where the initial monitoring revealed that employee exposure to lead was above the permissible exposure limit, monitoring was not repeated at least quarterly and continued at the required frequency until at least two consecutive measurements taken at least 7 days apart were below the PEL and at or above the action level:  a) U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - An employee burning on burn box #5 was exposed to lead levels of 113 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), 2.3 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. Exposures in excess of the PEL were found by the employer in February 2018. Monitoring was not repeated quarterly, on or about 10/30/18.  b) U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - In the Stacking Department, an employee stacking plates was exposed to lead levels of 291 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), 5.8 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. Exposures in excess of the PEL were found by the employer in September 2017. Monitoring was not repeated quarterly, on or about 10/30/18.  c) U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - In the Stacking Department, an employee stacking plates was exposed to lead levels of 142 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), 2.8 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. Exposures in excess of the PEL were found by the employer in September 2017. Monitoring was not repeated quarterly, on or about 10/30/18.  d) U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - In the Stacking Department, an employee catching plates was exposed to lead levels of 99.5 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), 1.9 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. Exposures in excess of the PEL were found by the employer in September 2017. Monitoring was not repeated quarterly, on or about 10/30/18.

Issued

2019-03-05 00:00:00

Abate by

2020-11-20 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $8856.00 · Current $5756.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(e)(1)(i): For any employees exposed to lead above the permissible exposure limit for more than 30 days per year the employer did not implement engineering and work practice controls (including administrative controls) to reduce and maintain employee exposure to lead:    a) U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - In the Pasting Department, an employee operating the hopper was exposed to lead levels of 90.3 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), 1.8 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. The exposure was derived from a sample taken over 466 minutes. Zero exposure was assumed for the 14 minutes not sampled. The engineering and work practice controls were not effective to reduce employee exposure to lead, on or about 10/30/18.    b) U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - In the Pasting Department, an employee stacking plates was exposed to lead levels of 183.3 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), 3.7 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. The exposure was derived from a sample taken over 463 minutes. Zero exposure was assumed for the 17 minutes not sampled. The engineering and work practice controls were not effective to reduce employee exposure to lead, on or about 10/30/18.    c) U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - An employee boxing plates at the burning station #3 was exposed to lead levels of 64.7 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), 1.3 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. The exposure was derived from a sample taken over 431 minutes. Zero exposure was assumed for the 49 minutes not sampled. The engineering and work practice controls were not effective to reduce employee exposure to lead, on or about 10/30/18.

Issued

2019-03-05 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-04-19 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $8856.00 · Current $5756.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(e)(3)(ii)(E): The written compliance program did not include a detailed schedule for implementation of the program:  U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - Employees burning, stacking and catching plates in the Stacking Department,  operating the hopper and stacking plates in the Pasting Department were exposed to lead levels in excess of the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. The written compliance plan did not include a detailed schedule for the implementation of all the contents of the compliance program to reduce exposures through engineering and administrative controls, on or about 10/16/18.

Issued

2019-03-05 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(e)(3)(iv): Written compliance programs for lead were not revised and updated annually to reflect the current status of the program:  U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - Employees burning, stacking and catching plates in the Stacking Department,  operating the hopper and stacking plates in the Pasting Department were exposed to lead levels in excess of the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. The written compliance plan was not updated annually, on or about 10/16/18.

Issued

2019-03-05 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-04-19 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(e)(4)(i): When ventilation was used to control exposure to lead, measurements which demonstrate the effectiveness of they system in controlling exposure were not made at least every three months:  U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - Employees burning, stacking and catching plates in the Stacking Department,  operating the hopper and stacking plates in the Pasting Department were exposed to lead levels in excess of the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. Measurements to verify the effectiveness of the engineering control were taken in May 2018 and not repeated every three months, on or about 10/16/18.

Issued

2019-03-05 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $8856.00 · Current $5756.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(h)(1): All surfaces were not maintained as free as practicable of accumulations of lead:  a) U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - The time clock located outside of the dirty section of the locker area was contaminated with lead. Lead contamination measured was 302.5 micrograms. Employees were returning back through the dirty side from the clean side after taking a shower to clock out, on or about 10/30/16.  b) U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - The time clock located near the safety office was contaminated with lead. Lead contamination measured was 248.1 micrograms, on or about 10/30/16.

Issued

2019-03-05 00:00:00

Abate by

2020-11-20 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $52096.00 · Current $33726.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(e)(1)(i): For any employees exposed to lead above the permissible exposure limit for more than 30 days per year the employer did not implement engineering and work practice controls (including administrative controls) to reduce and maintain employee exposure to lead:    a) U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - An employee burning on burn box #5 was exposed to lead levels of 113 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), 2.3 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. The exposure was derived from a sample taken over 452 minutes. Zero exposure was assumed for the 28 minutes not sampled. The engineering and work practice controls were not effective to reduce employee exposure to lead, on or about 10/30/18.    b) U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - In the Stacking Department, an employee stacking plates was exposed to lead levels of 291 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), 5.8 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. The exposure was derived from a sample taken over 437 minutes. Zero exposure was assumed for the 43 minutes not sampled. The engineering and work practice controls were not effective to reduce employee exposure to lead, on or about 10/30/18.    c) U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - In the Stacking Department, an employee stacking plates was exposed to lead levels of 142 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), 2.8 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. The exposure was derived from a sample taken over 426 minutes. Zero exposure was assumed for the 54 minutes not sampled. The engineering and work practice controls were not effective to reduce employee exposure to lead, on or about 10/30/18.    d) U.S. Battery Mfg.  Augusta, Inc. - In the Stacking Department, an employee catching plates was exposed to lead levels of 99.5 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), 1.9 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. The exposure was derived from a sample taken over 434 minutes. Zero exposure was assumed for the 46 minutes not sampled. The engineering and work practice controls were not effective to reduce employee exposure to lead, on or about 10/30/18.    U.S. Battery Mfg. Augusta, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.1025(e)(1)(i), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 980813, citation number 1, item number 1b and was affirmed as a final order on 11/6/14, with respect to a workplace located at 1895 Tobacco Rd, Augusta, GA.

Issued

2019-03-05 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $1506.00 · Current $979.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.9(a): Employees medically removed due to high lead blood levels, were not recorded in the OSHA 300 log:   U.S. BATTERY MFG. AUGUSTA, INC. - Three employees medically removed in October 2018, due to high blood levels, were not recorded in the OSHA 300 log for 2018, on or about 10/16/18.