OSHA Inspection: KONTOS FOODS INC.

Issued

May 13, 2019

Abate by

Jun 21, 2019

Penalty

Initial $13,260 · Current $8,619 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1): The employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.95(c) through (o) whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale, or equivalently a dose of fifty percent:    a) Production Area: Employees were exposed to continuous noise at levels from 88.4 decibels to 90.7 decibels averaged over 8-hours with zero exposure averaged for any unsampled time. The equivalent doses ranged from 80.5% to 110.8% of OSHAs Permissible Exposure Limit for Noise, which is 90 decibels.  The employer did not administer a hearing conservation program, thus exposing employees to irreversible hearing loss, on or about December 11, 2018.

Issued

May 13, 2019

Abate by

Jun 21, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(1): The employer shall establish and maintain an audiometric testing program as provided in this paragraph by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels.  a) Stretching Line: Employees were exposed to continuous noise at levels from 88.4 decibels to 90.7 decibels averaged over 8-hours with zero exposure averaged for any unsampled time. The equivalent doses ranged from 80.5% to 110.8% of OSHAs Permissible Exposure Limit for noise, which is 90 decibels. The employer did not establish baseline and maintain an audiometric testing program for employees on or about December 11, 2018.

Issued

May 13, 2019

Abate by

Jun 21, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(i)(3): Employees shall be given the opportunity to select their hearing protectors from a variety of suitable hearing protectors provided by the employer.  a) Stretching Line: Employees were exposed to continuous noise at levels from 88.4 decibels to 90.7 decibels averaged over 8-hours with zero exposure averaged for any unsampled time. The equivalent doses ranged from 80.5% to 110.8% of OSHAs Permissible Exposure Limit for noise, which is 90 decibels.  The employer did not give employees the opportunity to select their hearing protectors from a variety of suitable hearing protectors provided by the employer, on or about December 11, 2018.

Issued

May 13, 2019

Abate by

Jun 21, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(k)(1): The employer did not train each employee who is exposed to noise at or above an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.95(k). The employer did not institute a training program and ensure employee participation in the program:  a) Stretching Line: Employees were exposed to continuous noise at levels from 88.4 decibels to 90.7 decibels averaged over 8-hours with zero exposure averaged for any unsampled time. The equivalent doses ranged from 80.5% to 110.8% of OSHAs Permissible Exposure Limit for noise, which is 90 decibels.  The employer did not institute a training program and ensure employee participation in the program, on or about December 11, 2018.

Issued

May 13, 2019

Abate by

Jun 28, 2019

Penalty

Initial $9,472 · Current $6,156 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i): Procedures were not developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees were engaged in activities covered by this section:    a) 100 6th Avenue, Bakery: The employer did not develop detailed site specific procedural steps for shutting down equipment, including but not limited to, KB300CS Centrifugal Pressure Flour Sifter and the KB bulk handling system for flour, prior to maintenance/servicing, to prevent unexpected release of stored energy, thus exposing employees to an amputation hazard, on or about December 11, 2018.

Issued

May 13, 2019

Abate by

Jun 21, 2019

Penalty

Initial $7,577 · Current $4,925 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): Employers shall develop, implement, and maintain at each workplace, a written hazard communication program which at least describes how the criteria specified in paragraphs (f), (g), and (h) of this section for labels and other forms of warning, safety data sheets, and employee information and training will be met, and which also includes the following:    a) Bakery: Employees work in the bakery mixing ingredients, stretching dough and packaging food products. The ingredients, including, but not limited to wheat flour, dough conditioners and improvers. Wheat flour is a combustible dust and contact to it can result in sensitization and over time resulting in health outcomes from conjunctivitis to baker's asthma in some bakery workers. The employer did not ensure a written hazard communication program was not developed, implemented, and maintained on or about December 11, 2018.

Issued

May 13, 2019

Abate by

Jun 21, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3)(ii): Employee training did not include the physical and health hazards of the chemicals in the work area:  a) Bakery: Employees who work with hazardous chemicals and substances were not trained on the physical and health hazards associated with wheat flour, that is considered a combustible dust, and may cause sensitization, on or about December 11, 2018.

Issued

May 13, 2019

Abate by

Jun 21, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(6): The basic advisory information on respirators, as presented in Appendix D of this section, shall be provided by the employer in any written or oral format, to employees who wear respirators when such use is not required by this section or by the employer.  a) Establishment: The employer provided employees a choice of face masks with ear loops or N95 face masks to be worn in the production area, but did not provided the basic advisory information, on or about December 11, 2018.