OSHA Inspection: EXPRESS GRANITE, LLC

Issued

2019-04-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-09-24 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3978.00 · Current $2785.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1053(c): The employer did not ensure that no employee was exposed to an airborne concentration of respirable crystalline silica in excess of 50 ug/m3, calculated as an 8-hour TWA:      Shop area: Employer is exposing employees to hazardous conditions.  The employer is failing to reduce employee exposure to respirable crystalline Silica where adequate feasible administrative or engineering controls are not implemented to reduce employee exposure(s). The employees are permitted to work where exposure to airborne levels of silica exceed the permissible exposure level of 50 ug/m3.    On 01/16/2019 full shift sampling of employees' silica exposures were conducted where an employee who performed granite cutting, sanding, and polishing was exposed to silica dusts at a time weighted average of approximately 150 ug/m3.  The permissible exposure limit for Crystalline Silica is 50 ug/m3.

Issued

2019-04-30 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3978.00 · Current $2785.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1053(d)(1): 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 of 25 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) in accordance with either the performance option in paragraph (d)(2) or the scheduled monitoring option in paragraph (d)(3) of this section:     Shop: Employer is exposing employees to hazardous conditions.  The employer permits the employees to work where there is airborne silica without conducting the required initial employee exposure assessment.     On 01/16/20119 employee full shift sampling was conducted by OSHA.  Results of the sampling showed that two employees were exposed to silica dusts at 150.0 ug/m3 and 26.0 ug/m3 levels.  The employee exposure levels were above the Action Level of 25 micrograms per cubic meter.

Issued

2019-04-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-09-24 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3978.00 · Current $2785.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1053(f)(1): The employer did not use engineering and work practice controls to reduce and maintain employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica to or below the PEL, unless the employer can demonstrate that such controls are not feasible:     Shop: Employer is exposing employees to hazardous conditions.  The employees are permitted to work in an area where airborne silica dusts exceed the PEL and no ventilation systems are in use to reduce the airborne levels.      On 01/16/2019 employee full shift sampling conducted by OSHA showed exposure value of approximately 150.0 ug/m3, 3 times the PEL.  The employer did not install engineering controls to reduce employee exposure levels to silica dusts.

Issued

2019-04-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-06-17 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3978.00 · Current $2785.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1053(i)(2): The employer did not make available an initial (baseline) medical examination within 30 days after initial assignment when the employee had not received a medical examination that meets the requirements of this section within the last three years:     Establishment: Employer is exposing employees to hazardous conditions.  The employees who work with granite materials and are overexposed to airborne silica dusts are not provided the required initial medical evaluation.     On 01/16/2019 full shift air sampling was conducted.  Results of the air sampling revealed employee overexposure above the permissible exposure limit (PEL).  The employees were not provided the required initial medical evaluation.

Issued

2019-04-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-08-16 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3978.00 · Current $2785.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1053(j)(3)(i): The employer did not ensure that each employee covered by this section could demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the health hazards associated with exposure to respirable crystalline silica; specific tasks in the workplace that could result in exposure to respirable crystalline silica; specific measures the employer has implemented to protect employees from exposure to respirable crystalline silica; the contents of this section; and the purpose and a description of the medical surveillance program required by paragraph (i) of this section:    Establishment: Employer is exposing employees to hazardous conditions.  The employees who work with granite materials and are overexposed to airborne silica dusts are not provided the required information about the contents of this regulation and the purpose and description of the medical surveillance.     On 11/14/2018 it was determined that the employees who worked in the shop where silica dusts were present were not informed of the contents of the standard, the specific steps the employer had implemented to protect the employees from exposure to silica dusts and the purpose and description of a medical surveillance program.

Issued

2019-04-30 00:00:00

Abate by

2019-06-17 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1020(g)(1): Employees covered by 29 CFR 1910.1020 were not informed, upon entering employment and at least annually thereafter, of the existence, location, availability of any records covered by this section, of the identity of the person responsible for maintaining and providing access to records, or of each employee's right of access to these records:     Establishment: Employer is not informing employees of the their rights of access to medical and exposure records.    On 11/14/2018 it was determined that employees were not informed of their rights of access to their own medical and exposure records such as, but not limited to, safety data sheets for silica and acetone.