OSHA Inspection: UNIMETAL SURFACE FINISHING, LLC

Issued

Apr 4, 2019

Abate by

Jun 30, 2019

Penalty

Initial $10,229 · Current $7,160 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1)(i): The employer did not have each affected employee use the types of PPE that will protect the affected employee from the hazards identified in the hazard assessment.  Hand Nickel Plating Department;  On or about1/16/19, employees working in the hand nickel plating department were not required to wear chemical protective sleeves that would protect them from contact with nickel that can cause sensitization and severe rashes.

Issued

Apr 4, 2019

Abate by

Jun 30, 2019

Penalty

Initial $8,525 · Current $5,968 Reduced

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  Throughout the facility;  On or about 1/16/19, the employer had not maintained their hazard communication program by making required updates after the new GHS standard was released. The new system includes hazard pictograms that are now on chemical containers and standardized safety data sheet outlines that have not been included in the employer's written program. Chemicals used include, but are not limited to, hexavalent chromium, a carcinogen; nickel, a sensitizer; and highly toxic cyanide compounds.

Issued

Apr 4, 2019

Abate by

Jun 30, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:  Throughout production area:  On or about 1/16/19, employees working with chemicals did not receive hazard communication training on the chemicals in their work areas prior to beginning work with them. Employees working in plating departments use chemicals including but not limited to, hexavalent chromium, nickel, acids and cyanides.

Issued

Apr 4, 2019

Abate by

Jun 30, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(l)(1)(iii): The employer had not included chromium (VI) in the hazard communication program, established to comply with the Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200, ensured that each employee had access to labels on containers of chromium (VI) and to safety data sheets, and was trained in accordance with the requirements of the Hazard Communication Standard and 29 CFR 1910.1026(l)(2), including the contents of the Hexavalent Chromium Standard, the purpose and a description of the medical surveillance program, and made copies of this standard available to all affected employees:  Departments XXX;  On or about 1/16/19, employees working on plating lines that use hexavalent chromium were not trained on the hazards of hexavalent chromium and the standard that regulates it prior to beginning work with it.

Issued

Apr 4, 2019

Abate by

Jun 30, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(i)(5): The employer did not ensure proper initial fitting and supervise the correct use of all hearing protectors:  All Departments requiring hearing protection;  On or about 1/16/19, the employer did not ensure employees that were required to wear hearing protection wore them properly. Several employees were observed wearing ear plugs that were visibly not inserted correctly.

Issued

Apr 4, 2019

Abate by

Jun 30, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(d)(2)(i): The employer using the scheduled monitoring option did not perform initial monitoring to determine the 8-hour time-weighted average exposure to chromium (VI) for each employee on the basis of a sufficient number of personal breathing zone air samples to accurately characterize full shift exposure on each shift, for each job classification, in each work area.   On or about 1/16/19, the employer had not performed initial monitoring to determine the 8-hour time weighted average exposure for hexavalent chromium for each department requiring sampling. All active departments using hexavalent chromium have not been sampled and those sampled were not full 8-hour exposure assessments.