OSHA Inspection: HANGER PROSTHETICS AND ORTHOTICS WEST, INC.

Issued

Feb 13, 2019

Abate by

Apr 12, 2019

Penalty

Initial $5,683 · Current $2,842 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2)(ii): The employer did not establish and implement those elements of a written program necessary to ensure that any employee using a respirator voluntarily was medically able to use that respirator, and that the respirator was cleaned, stored, and maintained so that its use does not present a health hazard to the user:    (a) Employees were permitted to use their own personally purchased elastomeric respirators, and the employer took no steps to ensure that employees were medically able to use the respirators.     (b) Employees were permitted to store their voluntarily worn elastomeric respirators uncovered and hanging off of objects in the lab workshop area. This exposed respirators to airborne particulate resulting from grinding and cutting of carbon fiber and epoxy resin done in the area, which could accumulate on the inside of the masks and negatively affect employee health.    (c) No policy, schedule, or system was implemented in order to ensure that voluntarily worn elastomeric respirators were cleaned or maintained. This exposed employees to airborne particulate resulting from grinding and cutting of carbon fiber and epoxy resin done in the area, which could accumulate on the inside of the masks and negatively affect employee health.    On or about January 9th, 2019, the employer had not ensured that employees were medically able to use voluntarily worn respirators. The employer also did not ensure proper storage, cleaning, or maintenance of the respirators.

Issued

Feb 13, 2019

Abate by

Feb 26, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(6): The employer did not provide the basic advisory information on respirators, as presented in Appendix D of 29 CFR 1910.134, in written or oral format to employees who wear respirators when such use was not required by the employer:    (a) Employees were permitted to use their own personally supplied respirators. Employees were not provided the information contained in 29 CFR 1910.134 Appendix D, made aware of its existence, or trained on its contents.    On or about January 9th, 2019, the employer had not provided the basic advisory information on respirators to employees voluntarily wearing respirators in the lab workshop area.

Issued

Feb 13, 2019

Abate by

Feb 26, 2019

Penalty

Initial $5,683 · Current $3,410 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.157(e)(3): Portable fire extinguishers were not subjected to an annual maintenance check:    (a) In the lab, outside of the grinding room.  (b) At the lab entrance hallway.  (c) In the main office community area.    On or about January 9th, 2019 and times prior thereto, fire extinguishers were found onsite that had not been inspected in over 1 year. This condition exposed employees to potential fire hazards.