OSHA Inspection: WISCONSIN ENGRAVING COMPANY, INC.

Issued

2019-04-19 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-05-22 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4508.00 · Current $2000.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1430

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.124(g)(2): Employees who  worked with liquids that could burn, irritate, or otherwise harm their skin were not provided with an emergency shower and eye-wash station close to the dipping and coating operation:     (a) Etching Department: The employer did not provide for immediate emergency use, an eye-wash station for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes for a duration of 15 minutes,  where employees could foreseeably be exposed to metal etching acids and other corrosive chemicals.

Issued

2019-04-19 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-05-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3380.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(2): The employer shall verify that the required workplace hazard assessment has been performed through a written certification that identifies the workplace evaluated; the person certifying that the evaluation has been performed; the date(s) of the hazard assessment; and, which identifies the document as a certification of hazard assessment.    (a) A certification of the workplace hazard assessment had not been completed to identify the work areas assessed and required personal protective equipment to be used if required.

Issued

2019-04-19 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-05-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4508.00 · Current $2000.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1430

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:    (a) A written respiratory protection program was not established and implemented for required respirator use.  Employees were provided and used 3M half face elastomeric respirators during acid etching and shot blasting. The Program is to cover at least the following information (as applicable):    1) Procedures for selecting respirators for use in the work place;    2) Medical evaluation of employees required to use respirators;    3) Fit testing procedures for tight fitting respirators;    4) Procedures for proper use of respirators in routine and reasonably foreseeable emergency situations;    5) Procedures and schedules for cleaning, disinfecting, storing, inspecting, repairing, discarding, and otherwise maintaining respirators;     6) Procedures to ensure adequate air quality, quantity, and flow of breathing air for atmosphere-supplying respirators;     7) Training employees in the respiratory hazards to which they are potentially exposed during routine and emergency situations;    8) Training employees in the proper use of respirators, including putting on and removing them, any limitations on their use, and their maintenance; and    9) Procedures for regularly evaluating the effectiveness of the program.

Issued

2019-04-19 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-05-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 1430

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:    (a) The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator. Employees use elastomeric 3M half face respirators in the acid etching department and the shot blasting department.

Issued

2019-04-19 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-05-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 1430

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(1): The employer did not ensure that employee(s) required to use a tight-fitting facepiece respirator passed the appropriate qualitative fit test (QLFT) or quantitative fit test (QNFT):    (a) The employer did not ensure that employee(s) required to use a tight-fitting facepiece respirator passed the appropriate qualitative fit test (QLFT) or quantitative fit test (QNFT).  Employees were given and use elastomeric 3M half face respirators in the acid etching department and the shot blasting department.

Issued

2019-04-19 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-05-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 1430

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    (a) Employees were not trained on the applicable components of a respirator program and how to use a respirator.

Issued

2019-04-19 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-07-01 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9282.00 · Current $6282.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 14301660

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): The employer did not develop, implement, and/or maintain at the workplace a written hazard communication program which describes how the criteria specified in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f), (g), and (h) will be met:     (a) A written hazard communication program was not developed and implemented by the employer to inform employees of the chemical hazards they are potentially exposed to while performing surface preparation work such as acid etching and blasting. The program is to cover at least the following information:    1) A description of labeling information on received containers, which are required to be labeled in accordance with HazCom 2012, including product identity, pictogram(s), hazard statement, signal word, and precautionary statement(s).    2) A description of any in-house labeling system used to convey  required workplace label information;    3) Safety Data Sheet (SDS) availability;    4) A description of how training will be provided regarding the hazards of the chemicals in the work area to each new worker prior to being exposed to hazardous chemicals, and prior to introducing a new chemical hazard into the work area;    5) A complete list of hazardous chemicals known to be in the workplace;    6) Methods to inform employees of the hazards of non-routine tasks;    7) Methods to inform other employer(s) of  safety data sheet availability, the labeling system, and any precautionary measures necessary to protect employees.    This exposed employees to flammable liquids such as methanol, etching acids and other corrosives, blasting media and carbide dust.

Issued

2019-04-19 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-05-22 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 14301660

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(6)(ii): Except as provided in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(7) and 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(8), the employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged or marked with the product identifier and words, pictures, symbols, or combination thereof, which provide at least general information regarding the hazards of the chemicals and which, in conjunction with the other information immediately available to employees under the hazard communication program, would provide employees with the specific information regarding the physical and health hazards of the hazardous chemical.  (a) Numerous containers of various size of hazardous chemicals in the workplace were not labeled, tagged or marked. Examples of unmarked containers were, but not limited to the following:  1. Plastic bottles of methanol, 2 .Plastic bottles of degreaser, 3. Five gallon container of methanol, 4. Five gallon container of kerosene, 5. Various small squirt bottles at the workstation(s) containing a variety of different solvents, 6. Process dip tanks and etching machine containing corrosive metal etching fluids.  (b) On or about November 7, 2018, employees were exposed to chlorine gas when an unlabeled container of hydrochloric acid was inadvertently poured into an unlabeled container of sodium chlorate. This exposed employees to respiratory system injury.

Issued

2019-04-19 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-05-22 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 14301660

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8):   The employer did not maintain in the workplace copies of the required safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical   (a) The employer did not maintain in the workplace copies of the required Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for each hazardous chemical.  Employees are exposed to flammable liquids such as methanol, etching acids, other corrosives, blasting media, metal working fluids, and carbide dust.  Current Safety Data Sheets were not available to inform employees of potential hazards, such as mixing of non-compatible chemicals.

Issued

2019-04-19 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-05-08 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 14301660

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:  (a) Employees were not trained on the hazards of the chemicals or the incompatbility of the chemicals worked with.  This exposed employees to fire hazard, burn hazard and inhalation hazards.

Issued

2019-04-19 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 1660

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.106(e)(9)(iii): Combustible waste material and residues in a building or unit operating area were not kept to a minimum, stored in covered metal receptacles and disposed of daily:  (a) Combustible collapsed cardboard boxes were stored on top of a flammable liquids storage cabinet.