OSHA Inspection: BURNS IRON & METAL CO.

Issued

May 16, 2019

Abate by

Sep 13, 2019

Penalty

Initial $5,834 · Current $2,917 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0689

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) Burns Iron & Metal, on or about February 20th, 2019, at the location of 911 N Front St, Fremont, OH 43420:  The employer did not establish and maintain written respiratory protection program for required respiratory protection program to protect employee(s) exposed to chromium VI in excess of the permissible exposure limit established by 29 CFR 1910.1026. The employee tasked with plasma cutting was exposed at a level above the permissible exposure limit of hexavalent chromium (Chromium VI - 5 micrograms per cubic meter for an eight-hour time weighted average) with an exposure level of 19.8 micrograms per cubic meter for an eight-hour time weighted average.

Issued

May 16, 2019

Abate by

Sep 13, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0689

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k): The employer did not provide comprehensive, understandable training annually and/or more often if necessary:  a) Burns Iron & Metal, on or about February 20th, 2019, at the location of 911 N Front St, Fremont, OH 43420:  The employer did not ensure that the employee(s) tasked with plasma cutting stainless steel was trained on respirator usage.  The employee wore a respirator, Miller LPR-100 with P-100 filters, designed to protect against hexavalent chromium.  The employee was exposed over the permissible exposure limit of hexavalent chromium (Chromium VI) of 5 micrograms per cubic meter for an eight-hour time weighted average with an exposure level of 19.8 micrograms per cubic meter for an eight-hour time weighted average.

Issued

May 16, 2019

Abate by

Sep 13, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0689

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(g)(2): The employer required respirator use for protection against chromium (VI); however, the employer did not institute a respiratory protection program in accordance with the Respiratory Protection standard, 29 CFR 1910.134, which covers each employee required to use a respirator:  a) Burns Iron & Metal, on or about February 20th, 2019, at the location of 911 N Front St, Fremont, OH 43420:  The employer did not ensure that a respiratory protection program was instituted in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134 for the employees tasked with plasma cutting stainless steel using a respirator. The employee was required to wear a Miller LPR-100 respirator with P-100 filters to protect against hexavalent chromium, but was not provided with a program that identifies appropriate respirator selection, limitations, maintenance, and use.

Issued

May 16, 2019

Abate by

Sep 13, 2019

Penalty

Initial $2,501 · Current $1,251 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0689

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) Burns Iron & Metal, on or about February 20th, 2019, at the location of 911 N Front St, Fremont, OH 43420:  The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to the employee(s) tasked with plasma cutting stainless steel.  The employee wore a Miller LPR-100 respirator with P-100 filters. Lack of medical evaluation prior to required use exposed the employee to hazards related to the use of the respirator itself.

Issued

May 16, 2019

Abate by

Sep 13, 2019

Penalty

Initial $5,834 · Current $2,917 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0689

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) Burns Iron & Metal, on or about February 20th, 2019, at the location of 911 N Front St, Fremont, OH 43420:  The employer did not ensure that the employees tasked with using the Miller LPR 100 respirator for plasma cutting activities was fit tested for the use of a tight-fitting respirator to ensure a proper seal to prevent potential inhalation of airborne contaminants bypassing the filters to include hexavalent chromium in excess of the permissible exposure limit.

Issued

May 16, 2019

Abate by

Jun 11, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0689

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(g)(1)(i)(A): Respirators with tight-fitting facepieces were worn by employees who had facial hair that came between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interfered with valve function:  a) Burns Iron & Metal, on or about February 20th, 2019, at the location of 911 N Front St, Fremont, OH 43420:   The employer did not ensure that the employees tasked with using the Miller LPR 100 respirator for plasma cutting activities were free from facial hair that came between the sealing surface of the facepiece of a tight-fitting respirator to ensure a proper seal to prevent potential inhalation of airborne contaminants bypassing the filters to include hexavalent chromium in excess of the permissible exposure limit.

Issued

May 16, 2019

Abate by

Sep 13, 2019

Penalty

Initial $5,834 · Current $2,917 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0689

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(c): Employees were exposed to an airborne concentration of chromium (VI) which exceeded 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air, as an 8-hour time-weighted average:  a) Burns Iron & Metal, on or about February 20th, 2019, at the location of 911 N Front St, Fremont, OH 43420: The employer did not ensure that employee(s) tasked with plasma cutting stainless steel were within the permissible exposure limit.  An employee was exposed over the permissible exposure limit of hexavalent chromium (Chromium VI) of 5 micrograms per cubic meter for an eight-hour time weighted average with an exposure level of 19.8 microgram per cubic meter for an eight-hour time weighted average.

Issued

May 16, 2019

Abate by

Sep 13, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0689

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(d)(1): The employer with a workplace or work operation covered by this standard did not determine the 8-hour time-weighted average exposure for each employee exposed to chromium (VI):  a) Burns Iron & Metal, on or about February 20th, 2019, at the location of 911 N Front St, Fremont, OH 43420:  The employer did not determine the 8-hour time-weighted average exposure for the employee(s) tasked with plasma cutting stainless steel.  The employee was exposed over the permissible exposure limit of hexavalent chromium (Chromium VI) of 5 micrograms per cubic meter for an eight-hour time weighted average with an exposure level of 19.8 micrograms per cubic meter for an eight-hour time weighted average.

Issued

May 16, 2019

Abate by

Sep 13, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0689

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(f)(1)(i): Feasible engineering controls and work practices were not instituted to reduce and maintain employee exposures to chromium (VI) at or below the permissible exposure limit:  a) Burns Iron & Metal, on or about February 20th, 2019, at the location of 911 N Front St, Fremont, OH 43420:  The employer did not institute feasible engineering controls to protect employee(s) exposed to Chromium VI. The employee tasked with plasma cutting stainless steel was exposed over the permissible exposure limit of hexavalent chromium (Chromium VI) of 5 micrograms per cubic meter for an eight-hour time weighted average with an exposure level of 19.8 microgram per cubic meter for an eight-hour time weighted average.

Issued

May 16, 2019

Abate by

Sep 13, 2019

Penalty

Initial $5,834 · Current $2,917 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0689

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(k)(1)(i)(A): The employer did not make medical surveillance available for all employees who were or could be occupationally exposed to chromium (VI) at or above the action level for 30 or more days a year:  a) Burns Iron & Metal, on or about February 20th, 2019, at the location of 911 N Front St, Fremont, OH 43420:  The employer did make medical surveillance available for the employee(s) who were or could be occupationally exposed to Chromium VI at or above the action level for 30 or more days a year.  The employer tasks the employee(s) to perform plasma cutting of stainless steel on a daily basis.  The employee was exposed over the permissible exposure limit of hexavalent chromium (Chromium VI) of 5 micrograms per cubic meter for an eight-hour time weighted average with an exposure level of 19.8 micrograms per cubic meter for an eight-hour time weighted average.

Issued

May 16, 2019

Abate by

Sep 13, 2019

Penalty

Initial $5,834 · Current $2,917 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0689

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(l)(2)(i)(A): The employer did not provide appropriate information and training for all employees exposed to chromium (VI), in that employees could not demonstrate knowledge of the contents of the Chromium (VI) standard, 29 CFR 1910.1026:    a) Burns Iron and Metal, on or about February 20th, 2019, at the location of 911 N. Fremont St., Fremont, OH, 43420:  The employer failed to train employees who were over exposed to Chromium VI while cutting stainless steel in the hazards associated with chromium VI [CR(VI)] to ensure their knowledge in and recognition of health hazards associated with CR(VI), the location, manner of use, and release of CR(VI), engineering controls, and work practices, and measures employees can take to protect themselves.  Employees were expose to hazards associated with exposures to Chromium VI including, but not limited to, asthma, nasal ulcerations, eye irritations, and lung cancer.